I'd Love to Change the World
by lgbtdestiny
Summary: First, she wanted to know more. Then, she wanted to be perfected. Oh, would she ever learn what corrupted Light could do to a Guardian? Follow three Guardians on their quest to conquer the most emotional elements of battle. (Title inspired by Jetta's song "I'd Love To Change The World")
1. Eyes Up, Guardian

Chapter 1

 **A/N: first Destiny fic is here! Obviously not everything will be exactly like the game as I want to explore some of my own ideas about the game. However, it will follow the general story of the game in terms of the quests, patrols, strikes, and raids of all expansions.**

* * *

 _"Legends are carved across history by the brave."_

* * *

It had been searching for weeks.

Scratch that. It had only been six days, but it certainly seemed longer.

Ghost searched high and low across the Cosmodrome for its lost Guardian. Nothing about this job was easy. While it could easily brave the harsh weather conditions, evading swarms of Fallen as it passed through various areas, well, that was a different story.

It was a grueling process, and being able to think for itself allowed it to doubt that it would ever find its Guardian. But Ghost knew that was impossible. Every single ghost had its own Guardian they were assigned to guide and help protect. This Guardian would be theirs for as long as either of them existed.

Ghost was looking for a female, a Warlock. It repetitively scanned the surface as it floated along, decomposed bodies scattered all around the Cosmodrome area. Some were full skeletons, and others had only a few bones remaining. Ghost often wondered what it must have been like to die out here, during or after the Collapse. But the worst part was that no one knew who they were. No one would know their name, what they enjoyed, what their personality was like. There was no memory left of these poor souls, forgotten for ages by now.

A ragged screech sounded from behind Ghost. It knew the Fallen had been following it ever since it got here. There was really no way to avoid them. Once the Cosmodrome fell all those years ago the Fallen instantly took it as their own.

"I need to find my Guardian," Ghost thought out loud. "They have to be here somewhere."

Ghost scanned the ground again, and this time, its scan blinked, and several beeps sounded, letting it know that its Guardian was near. Ghost went back into its archive for a moment, reviewing the information that had been presented about its Guardian. It was looking for one called Tatum. Tatum Elion. It was rare to have a known last name. For a ghost to receive one meant that the Guardian had known family, whether they were Guardians themselves or citizens of the Last City. The incredible fact alone was that this Tatum girl had a history and there were people who would remember her back in the city.

With another scan of the surface, a rapid beeping alerted Ghost that it had found the place of its Guardian. There was a mound in the dirt, and once Ghost had zapped all the debris, leaves, and dirt away, it saw its Guardian for the first time.

It took a few attempts to jump-start the Guardian to consciousness, and once Ghost did, the young woman shot up, taking rapid breaths as her grey eyes darted all around, trying to adjust to her surroundings.

"Eyes up, Guardian," Ghost said, focusing on her.

She was young, no more than eighteen. The harsh wind whipped through her shaggy, short brown hair. Ghost could see she was confused. And who wouldn't be?

"Wh-Where am I?" she asked.

"In the Cosmodrome," Ghost responded as if it was the simplest thing. It started conjuring the basic armor Tatum would need if she wanted to survive. It didn't have any advanced materials, just the earth surrounding it, thus a simple helmet and sets of leg, arm, and chest armor were made. They would provide basic protection and support for life, but nothing more than that.

"Wait…what's happening?" Tatum asked as Ghost donned her in the simple armor. The armor was rough and fairly uncomfortable. Granted, Ghost had just made it out of literal dirt and plant matter. It was all white, and it had a slight leathery texture to it. Tatum didn't know how, but she knew she would have to get used to this armor for a small while.

"There will be time for questions later," Ghost answered as it scanned Tatum's first Warlock bond onto her left arm. It was so simple, literally made from the rocks around them, but it was enough for Ghost. A Warlock's bond was sacred, as were each special item to each Guardian class. "We won't make it out here in these conditions," Ghost continued. "We need to get inside the wall."

Tatum stood, her legs shaky for a moment, and she flexed her hands and arms, her body still getting used to, well…living.

"Can I ask one more question?"

"Yes, but let's head toward the wall," Ghost said. Tatum saw a small radar displayed in the left corner of her helmet, and Ghost directed her where to go through that.

"How long have I been out here?" she asked.

"You've been dead for…one second…" Ghost went through its archives to find exactly how long it was. "You've been dead for exactly two-hundred-twenty-four years."

"Okay…that only makes everything more confusing. I'll just let you tell me what to do for now," Tatum answered as she jogged toward the wall.

Another screech sounded, and this time it was closer.

"What the hell was that?!"

"Fallen," Ghost said. "Come on…once we're inside the wall we can figure things out."

Tatum sprinted the last hundred yards or so to the wall, wanting to get as far away from whatever was making those horrendous screeching noises. She followed her ghost's directions, and they traveled up a few levels and down a few dark hallways before they came to an opening. Already, Tatum didn't like the looks of it.

"Fallen thrive in the dark," Ghost said, it's voice coming directly through her helmet. "Stay here while I figure out how to turn the lights on. Maybe we can draw them out."

"Draw them out?!"

But Ghost had already floated off. Tatum could see the faint blue glow of its center roaming around. Then it stopped, and within moments the entire section of the wall lit up. She could see the creatures Ghost called Fallen scrambling away, and those screeching and hissing noises returned.

"They're coming for us!" Ghost said. "Here! I found a rifle for you!"

Tatum followed her radar around the corner, and she found the rifle leaning against what looked like an empty weapon case.

"I hope you know how to use that thing," Ghost continued. "We'll have to fight through them, but we need to find a ship if we want to get back to the city."

Everything Ghost was saying just confused Tatum more, so she shook her head as she lifted the rifle and started forward, following the directions Ghost displayed for her.

It was steady moving for a short while, and they made it up another level without any Fallen encounters. But once she rounded the next corner, several Fallen sprung up from the level below. The way in which Tatum fired bullets at them came effortlessly, and the first Fallen went down within moments. The second one jumped behind a wall, and Tatum waited patiently before it jumped back again. They fired at the same time, and Tatum put several bullets into its body before it fell. Though one of its shock pistol bullets caught her in her side.

"Well…now I know what the armor is for," Tatum mumbled, noting that only a small burning sensation lingered for only a few moments.

"Just don't take too much damage," Ghost answered. "Any armor you wear can only deflect so much before you'll start taking direct injuries to your body."

"What happens then?"

"Ah-ah…questions later."

Tatum rolled her eyes in response. "Okay…but at least tell me what those things were."

"Those were Fallen, specifically Dregs. They're the lowest rank in the Fallen army. Fallen are ruthless scavengers, and after the Collapse they flocked to the Cosmodrome and many other areas throughout our solar system."

The second they entered the next hallway, several more Dregs popped out behind red laser beams crossing diagonally.

"Trip wires," Ghost said. "Stay away from those."

Tatum picked off the Dregs quickly. They didn't pose much of a threat, but she imagined in high numbers they could definitely do some damage. But then two different Fallen dropped from above, and she had to take a few steps back, nearly bringing herself right into the trip wires. They were taller than the Dregs, wore tattered red capes, and they were equipped with rifles.

"Those are Vandals," Ghost said as Tatum began firing her rifle at them. One of the Vandals came at her, but she evaded with a quick step and launched forward with an open palm, a harsh spark of light radiating from her hand as she made contact with the Vandal, and it fell to the ground dead. She picked off the second Vandal with a few bullets to the head, but not without taking a couple of its own shock rifle bullets to her chest armor. A stronger burn persisted for about fifteen seconds from the shots, and Tatum grunted out in slight pain before the feeling went away.

After starting down another hallway, Tatum saw faint green lights in the shadows.

"That's a loot chest," Ghost said, directing its Guardian to it. "Let's see what's inside."

Tatum opened the chest, and there she found a basic shotgun. She picked it up, and her ghost surrounded it in its blue scan light, and within moments the weapon was hitched to her back.

"I guess this isn't a good time to ask how _that_ works," Tatum comments, referring to the way Ghost can seemingly teleport objects.

"That would be correct. Let's keep moving. We're getting closer."

They encountered a large group of Fallen as they crossed the Divide in the Cosmodrome in order for Tatum to enter Dock 13. That was when Tatum had her first experience as to what Ghost meant when he told her that her armor could only take so much damage.

The Fallen had come at them strong, several Vandals, Shanks, and Dregs firing relentlessly. Tatum decided to be bold and light them up, firing round after round. But, she took heavy damage in return. Her leg armor had been broken through, and the next shock rifle bullet that hit her broke through her own skin. Luckily, she was able to eliminate the Fallen in time for her ghost to heal her.

That experience of her ghost literally zapping away the blood and repairing her wound through several scans and zaps of its laser only raised more questions for Tatum. Then Ghost had repaired her armor as well.

After that they only ran into one more small group of Fallen before they reached the open hangar area in Dock 13 that held a jump-ship. But just as they were about to start toward the ship, several groups of Fallen dropped down from the ship. And then, a much bigger Fallen jumped into the center of them.

"That's Rahn, one of the captains of the House of Devils," Tatum heard her ghost say. "You need to eliminate them, and then we can get our hands on that ship."

The fight was tiring, and Tatum picked off the Dregs and Shanks first before she turned her bullets to the Vandals. Rahn kept his distance, occasionally firing his rifle at her when she broke cover to take down a Vandal. The last Vandal left came at her wielding a dagger, and it landed a few blows to her arm before she was able to land her own melee, effectively killing it.

"Shotgun?" Tatum got out, and within a split second her shotgun was in her hands and her rifle on her back.

She charged out of her cover, hurling her grenade at Rahn. Once it detonated she fired heavy bullet after heavy bullet, breaking through his weak shield and eventually dealing strong damage. She took a few hard bullets to her chest and leg armor, but it didn't stop her from pulling the trigger on her shotgun, and a few more bullets to Rahn's body did him in.

"Wow…you just defeated your first Fallen Captain…impressive," Ghost commented. "They'll only get harder though."

"Well that's comforting. So…what do we need this ship for?"

"I'm going to take you back to the Last City. Specifically the Tower, which is where all Guardians go," Ghost replied. "Give me a moment to reboot this ship. It's not much…but it'll be enough to get us back. We were lucky the Fallen didn't take anything more from this."

Tatum watched as her ghost floated around the ship, and several zaps and scans later, the ships engines began to run.

"Fallen!" Ghost alerted.

Tatum turned, ready to fight, but these Fallen were unlike any she had seen so far. Bigger, stronger, and much more intimidating. She wasn't sure she would be able to handle them.

"I'm scanning you in!"

And before she knew what actually happened, she was sitting behind the controls of the ship. Well…her ghost was actually controlling the ship, and it elevated them just as the Fallen began shooting at them. They made it out though, and soon they were soaring above the Cosmodrome and toward the Last City.

From above, it was all so beautiful. Mountains jutted into the horizon all around them, and the sunlight reflected off the snow-covered ground below and the clouds they flew through. They did pass through a patch of stormy weather, the thunder booming and lightning relentless around them. But somehow Ghost navigated them safely through it.

"So…can I ask you some questions now?"

"I would say yes, but you will have some of them answered once we reach the Tower," Ghost replied.

"What exactly is that?" Tatum asked anyway.

"It's where all the Guardians stay. That's what you are now. You fight against the darkness."

"What's-,"

"Ah…that's something the Speaker will answer. We'll also find out who you'll be training with. It's essential that you gain experience."

Tatum nodded. She was impatient, and she wanted answers. But hopefully this Speaker dude could answer some of them.

* * *

The sun was almost completely set when they arrived at the Tower, and quite literally, it _was_ a towering structure that looked over the entire city. Tatum thought it was beautiful, and she thought it was incredible how an entire, thriving city existed among all the chaos that waited outside its walls.

Once their ship came to a halt, hovering at the front of the Tower, Ghost scanned them out of the ship and officially into the Tower.

There were other Guardians scattered throughout the main plaza area, wearing much more complex and incredible armor than she was. A few of them looked over at her, and they smiled and waved, glad to see that new Guardians were still being brought in.

"This is the top level of the Tower," Ghost said. "It's where all the Guardians arrive and depart for their missions and it's where they all hang out together. You'll find all the vendors on this level too. I can introduce you to them later. First, we need to see the Speaker."

On their short walk to Tower North, Ghost told Tatum the basics of the Speaker. He was a representative of The Traveler, which, Tatum learned, was that giant yet damaged white orb floating in their sky. She didn't know what it did, but she guessed that was something the Speaker would tell her.

They entered Tower North, and Ghost directed Tatum down a short flight of steps before they rounded the corner, coming to an open observatory-like area, two giant rings rotating in the middle of it.

"Hello, Guardian," a deep, calm voice said.

Tatum glanced over and saw a figure in white and black robes coming down the stairs. He wore a white mask, his true face hidden, and Tatum wondered why.

"You must be the Speaker," Tatum said. "My ghost was just telling me about you."

The Speaker nodded in return. "Welcome to the Tower…your new home. I'm sure you have many questions."

"Yes…I'm hoping you can answer them."

"Some, but not all," he replied. "I can only tell you of our history and how we came to be in this situation. That will answer some of your questions."

"I'm all ears," Tatum said with a hopeful smile.

"The Traveler," he began, motioning to the white orb in the sky, "we aren't exactly sure of its origins. But we know that wherever it goes, it brings light. The planets it went to thrived with it there. Life and resources were abundant. But the Traveler had an enemy, a darkness that followed it wherever it went. We don't know where this darkness came from, and we only assume it is the natural battle in the universe between light and dark…good and evil.

"The Traveler came to Earth, and this planet bloomed. Longevity increased as our tolerance to sickness decreased. Peace between countries surfaced, and war was nonexistent among the human race. There was something about the Traveler, the light it brought with it. I don't think we will ever truly figure out why this strange being exists, but we were thankful for it.

"The darkness found us though. It never gave up its pursuit of the light, seeking to snuff it out for good. The darkness descended upon our solar system, and Earth was ravaged by all groups and advocates for the darkness. The human race was at war again. We were not only protecting our planet…we were also protecting the Traveler. But we were not prepared, and we were not strong enough. Countries were wiped out, and much of the world's population was senselessly murdered.

"Luckily, the darkness was more concerned with destroying the Traveler, so it did not extend to all parts of the world. Those populations that remained joined together, and there was nothing more we could do but let the darkness take its course. They damaged the Traveler enough to render it nearly powerless, and then they backed away. After this Collapse, the Fallen and Hive developed colonies on Earth. The other groups took to other planets, creating their own civilizations, even warring with one another for power.

"During this calm before another inevitable storm, the Traveler pushed one effort to us, and that was giving us its Light. With this, we were able to take on the darkness. Generations and generations of people, who now called themselves Guardians of the Light, dedicated themselves to developing the weapons and armor needed to take on these proponents of the darkness.

"We've been fighting ever since. Although we don't know how you wound up dead either during or after the Collapse, we know you are a descendant of those first Guardians. This is the Last City for a reason. It is the only city left that has not been infected and destroyed by the dark forces. You were meant for this, and it is your duty to protect this city and the world. You will find you must protect other planets as well, and it is our job to collectively fight off the darkness."

There was a period of silence between them as Tatum tried to make sense of it all. For an eighteen year-old who had apparently been dead for two-hundred-twenty-four years…this was an awful lot to process. But, she knew she had to accept it. There would be time to find answers to her other questions later.

"So, uh…that's a lot to take in," Tatum started. "But I'm ready to do my part. What's the next step?"

The Speaker gave a small 'hmpf' of approval, and Tatum guessed he was smiling ever so slightly under that mask. That is…if he could smile…and, if he actually had a face under there.

"Our new Guardians are given training by more experienced Guardians. It's designed to help you learn the threats you'll face and to give you support throughout your missions as a Guardian. Obviously, there will be a point in time where you will become a mentor yourself. However, you can always choose to keep close with your own mentor, as many Guardians keep their mentors for their Fireteams."

Tatum squinted at the word 'Fireteam,' but she figured she would find out what that was later on. Now, she just had to go with this process. This was her life now.

"So who's my mentor?"

"A Hunter. Usually we like to keep the same Guardian class between mentor and student, but sometimes I assign specific Guardians to each other as I believe they can learn from each other. Your ghost will take you to her," the Speaker answered. "Good luck, Guardian."

* * *

Tatum met with all the Vanguard representatives and a few of the vendors around the Tower while they waited for her mentor to arrive from a patrol. She spoke with Ikora Rey, the Warlock Vanguard. Ikora welcomed her warmly to the Guardian community, and Tatum instantly liked her. She also spoke briefly with Commander Zavala and Cayde-6, the Titan and Hunter Vanguards. Zavala was serious, yet there was a certain kindness to him that Tatum appreciated. And Cayde…well, he was an interesting character to say the least. Tatum didn't know how she felt about him as of their brief conversation. He welcomed her to the Tower and then made some joke or complaint – Tatum couldn't tell which – about how much he hated his job.

"We still have time," Ghost said. "Let me take you to the Shipwright. We need to repair our ship."

Tatum followed her ghost to the Tower Hangar, and soon they approached a young woman sitting on a table surrounded by various ship parts and ship blueprints.

"New Guardian?" the woman asked, and Tatum nodded. "I'm Amanda Holliday. I handle all the ships that come in here. I fixed up your ship, but it's missing a warp drive. You'll need to get one of those if you ever want to travel to other planets."

Tatum nodded as Amanda handed her a sheet of paper, which was just a simple report of what she did to the jump-ship.

"Thanks," Tatum said. "Where do I find a warp drive?"

Amanda gave her a slight, almost playful grin before she responded. "Wherever you came from. I don't have those things on reserve ya know."

"Wow, I really hated the Cosmodrome. I have to go back there?" Tatum said, and she tried to make it sound light as if she was joking. But she wasn't. She really didn't want to go back to that place anytime soon.

"It would seem that way," Amanda said, her small grin persisting. "You made it out of there once. You'll be fine. Good luck, Guardian."

"Your mentor is back," Ghost said, and Tatum gave Amanda a small nod before she followed her ghost back to the Tower Plaza.

"Do we know anything about her?" Tatum asked.

"Uh…no. Only the basics. Her name is Kasey. She's a Hunter, and she's well respected among the Vanguard and all Guardians in general as a noble fighter. And…apparently you either hate her or love her."

Tatum went to the front of the plaza and leaned on the railing. It was certainly a long drop down, and she took in the beautiful sight before her. The Traveler lingered above the Last City, and even though the sky was dark with night, the lights from the city below seemed to be illuminated even more by the Traveler's presence. It was truly breathtaking.

"You must be Tatum," a voice behind her said.

Tatum turned around to face the source of the voice, a young woman still in full armor except for her helmet. Her cloak rustled in the slight breeze behind her, and she ran a hand through her dark brown hair, pushing her bangs back while the rest draped over her shoulder in a braid. Her armor was unlike any Tatum had seen so far on the Guardians throughout the Tower. Her chest armor looked to be a basic chest plate with a white vest covering it. Her leg armor was fairly simple except for a faint branch-like design on the thighs. Her gauntlets were interesting, with her left arm having a diagonal stripe pattern while her right arm had a red patch on the forearm.

She looked…official, that's for sure, and Tatum was slightly intimidated by her. Obviously, she had reason to be. This Hunter, Kasey was her name, was highly regarded in the Guardian community. At least, that's what her ghost told her.

"Yeah…you're Kasey?" Tatum answered, and the Hunter gave a small nod in return.

"Looks like the Speaker assigned me to train you. We can start tomorrow. I'll have my ghost link with yours so it can communicate when we'll meet."

"What are we going to do?"

"Do you have any missions that need to be completed?" Kasey asked, her expression unchanging so far.

"Well I have to get a warp drive for my ship."

Kasey nodded before she replied. "Then that's what we'll do. I wanted to go on a patrol in the Cosmodrome again anyway to collect some supplies. I can help you along the way, but you'll be doing most of it on your own. See you tomorrow."

Tatum was left mildly confused by their first interaction as she watched Kasey walk away, her long cloak with a red hawk on the back of it flowing behind her.

Okay…Tatum was _very_ confused.

She didn't know what to make of Kasey. She certainly wasn't warm, but she wasn't necessarily mean either. There was just this certain distance to her that Tatum couldn't figure out. For now, she just guessed it was because they were meeting for the first time. Things were bound to be a little awkward, right? But everything about Kasey was so professional and strict, and it seemed like it was almost purposeful. Tatum didn't know why. They were supposed to learn from each other. How could she learn from someone who kept themselves at a distance?

Tatum shook her head. She was definitely making judgements too early. Tomorrow they would be on a mission together, so she would certainly have a chance to talk to Kasey some more. There had to be a reason the Hunter acted the way she did. Maybe she was just hardened by battle. Maybe she lost someone she cared about out there. Whatever it was, Tatum was sure she would find out soon enough.

"Come on," Ghost said, interrupting Tatum's thoughts. "I'll show you to your living quarters."

* * *

 **A/N: hey all…hopefully that was a good enough first chapter! We'll have more character interactions in the next chapter and new character introductions as well! My updates will be slow as I am in college so...classes, ya know.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **\- lgbtdestiny**


	2. Get That Warp Drive, Tatum

Chapter 2

* * *

 _"We have found new ways to weaponize curiosity. Pathways into the darkness."_

* * *

Cayde glanced up from his map when he saw Kasey approach him, full armor equipped and a small satchel hanging from her shoulder.

"Where are you off to on this lovely day?" Cayde asked.

Kasey set her satchel down on the corner of his map, and he just gave a disgruntled 'hmpf' in response. He hated when there was any other object on his map. He especially hated when Eris put her rock on it…he had no idea what that rock was for or what it did. In fact, he wasn't even sure it was a rock...probably some weird Hive artifact that Eris decided to keep, but he was convinced Eris was slowly cursing him with it or something creepy like that every time she brought it near him.

"Have to help my new recruit. I'm a mentor now," Kasey answered.

"Don't sound too excited," Cayde deadpanned.

"Clearly, I'm not. I've been fighting for years and now, just when I think I'm prepared to finally go after the Taken King, a rookie comes along."

Cayde gave her a reassuring clap on the shoulder, and the corner of his Exo mouth tilted upwards in what Kasey knew was his way of smiling. At least…she assumed that's what it was. "Don't worry," he said. "The Speaker assigned you to her for a reason. Who knows what the hell that reason is but…you'll figure it out with time, and, maybe with a few times of rescuing this new Guardian from death. So answer my original question…where are you two going?"

"The Cosmodrome. She needs to get a warp drive. I'm going on a patrol," Kasey answered.

"Great, well, report back to me with the details of the patrols you accomplish. You've always been one of the best Guardians with those. And, don't tell the others, but you're my favorite for that." He gave her a small nudge with his elbow, and Kasey just grinned and shook her head in response.

"Oh Cayde, you always know how to make a Guardian feel special," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Behind them, Ikora just shook her a head, a breath of a laugh escaping her. It was always interesting for her to see the two interact. Whenever she saw Kasey around the tower, the Hunter was always so distant from everyone else, aloof even. While other Guardians socialized in their free time between missions, Kasey was either training - which, Ikora didn't know why; at the young age of only twenty-two, Kasey was still one of the most experienced Guardians in the Tower; no, her Light wasn't the highest, but she was a young woman hardened by the physical and emotional realities of battle - or Ikora found Kasey in the Tower Library on many occasions. The Hunter loved reading texts from ancient times; times before the Traveler even arrived to Earth.

To see Kasey so carefree with Cayde was refreshing for the Warlock Vanguard. The friendship between those two Hunters was admirable. They had accomplished so much together, and their bond was truly inseparable.

Though, Ikora knew Kasey wouldn't be like this with Tatum. The new Warlock was filled with hope for the future. Ikora could tell that Tatum wanted to be the best Guardian she could be, and Tatum was excited to begin her training. However, she was innocent. She hadn't seen the terrors of battle and the dark forces that existed beyond Earth. But, Ikora thought, she would only gain experience through time. There would certainly be rough patches for the new Guardian, and Ikora hoped Kasey would be up to the task of supporting Tatum through those rough patches.

"Morning, Ikora," Tatum said, walking up next to the Warlock Vanguard at the table.

"Good morning, Guardian," she replied, giving the young Warlock a warm smile. "I overheard you are venturing back to the Cosmodrome with your mentor today."

"Yeah, uh, I have to get a warp drive for my ship. Honestly, traveling to different planets is the least of my worries right now," Tatum said with a small laugh.

"Let me guess…you're figuring out how to crack Kasey's tough demeanor?"

"You know me too well already, Ikora."

"Give it time. Getting out into battle should do you two some good."

Tatum nodded and ran a hand through her hair before she turned her attention to Kasey, who was patiently waiting for her.

"You ready?" Kasey asked.

"I hope so," Tatum said lightly, and she got the slightest grin from Kasey as a reaction. Well…it was progress.

They walked together to the Tower Hangar to pick up their ships, Amanda Holliday telling her assistants to get Tatum's Arcadia Class Jumpship and another one called the "Ticktock Inquisitor," which Tatum could only guess was Kasey's ship.

"So," Amanda started, "Kasey is your mentor, I see."

Tatum could see Kasey roll her eyes, and she nodded in response.

"Kasey, I never had you down as someone who could take on a rookie Guardian. How you holding up after not even a day of knowing her?"

"You know this one…she's been giving me a lot of trouble already," Kasey said, shooting Tatum a playful wink. Or, at least…an attempt at one. The fact that Kasey had just been sarcastic already had Tatum in a state of shock on its own.

"Well, Tatum, I hope you like sarcasm and not knowing whether someone likes you or despises you, because you'll be getting a lot of that with her."

Again, Kasey rolled her eyes at Amanda's comment.

Amanda turned around as she heard the Hangar's lift alarm sound, and Tatum's basic jumpship rose up first, followed by Kasey's ship. The two side engine blocks were navy, and the body of the ship was the same navy color except half of it was orange. The small control center of the ship sat at the top of its body. Even though they were relatively the same size, Kasey's ship seemed much larger than Tatum's.

"Have I ever told you how obnoxious your jumpship is," Amanda commented to Kasey.

"You seem to remind me every time you see it. It's not even that obnoxious."

"Literally no other Guardian flies that thing."

"Not many Guardians even have this ship anyway. Besides, they like the smaller, sleeker jumpships," Kasey answered. "I never liked how those flew."

"Right because you just love to stand out by flying a big, bulky Vanguard ship," Amanda said. "Don't lie, I know it satisfies your already inflated ego," she added, a grin tugging at the corner of her mouth.

The expression that came to Kasey's face could only be described as saying "what the hell are you talking about?" Except it was almost characteristically, purposefully sarcastic.

"Whatever," Kasey said. "I'll see you later. I know you're so concerned for my safety out there."

"You've patrolled the Cosmodrome so many times, Kasey. But please don't die," Amanda joked. "Also, take it easy on Tatum and actually help her if she needs it."

Kasey glanced over at the Warlock, who was waiting at the bottom of her jumpship. Kasey remembered when she started off as a rookie; simple armor and weapons, and a mindset of optimism that was quickly changed in just a few weeks of fighting. She figured it wouldn't hurt her too much to throw Tatum some kindness to start, but then she would take the risk of becoming friends with this girl. And Kasey knew how much caring about someone could backfire as a Guardian.

"Ready to go?" Kasey asked as she passed Tatum on her way to her own ship. "Our ghosts are already linked, so I can talk to you as we fly to the Cosmodrome," she added.

Tatum nodded, not necessarily knowing how to respond since Kasey simply walked past her. Her ghost scanned her into her ship, and she watched as Kasey's ship took off, the engines quiet, and a small stream of yellow trailed from them. Tatum followed within a few moments, and soon their ships were side by side, soaring over the Last City and toward the Cosmodrome.

Tatum's ghost perked up as it received a signal, and a brief static came through before Tatum heard Kasey's voice.

"So, uh, since I'll be on patrol, I won't be with you every step of the way," Kasey said. "But, if you run into any trouble, don't hesitate to have your ghost send a signal to mine. I'll find you and help if you really need it, but I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Thanks. Um, what exactly do you do on a patrol?" Tatum asked.

"Collect materials for yourself, the factions, and other people in the Tower who need something. Sometimes you eliminate key targets or scan a certain area. Uh…yeah, that's basically the gist of it. It's a pretty good way to gain experience in the field too. Especially since you're new to this, we can patrol the Cosmodrome together soon. It would be good for you. Anyways, we're almost here. See you on the ground."

The transmission cut out as their ships began descending on the Cosmodrome, and once they were low enough, they were scanned out of their ships and onto the ground.

On her radar, Tatum could see a few other Guardians nearby, either on a mission of their own or simply patrolling the area.

Kasey's armor was a different color today. Her cloak was the same, except the rest of her armor seemed to be a silver color, and the sun reflected brightly off it at certain angles. Her helmet looked like something out of medieval times, and she quite literally looked like a knight from that time as well. Again, Tatum couldn't help but feel intimidated and somewhat inadequate compared to the experienced Hunter. She guessed that feeling would fade with time.

"Your ghost has the details of what you need to accomplish," Kasey said. "Follow its directions, and you should have that warp drive in no time. I'll see you later. Also," Kasey paused as she rested her hand on Tatum's shoulder, "try not to get hurt too badly."

"I don't know if she was trying to joke or not," Tatum mumbled as she watched Kasey jog off to a small, blinking green light in the distance.

"We'll figure her out at some point," Ghost said. "In the meantime, let's get to finding that warp drive. A guardian's ship was recently shot down around here. If the Fallen haven't gotten to it, we might be able to salvage some parts from it."

Tatum followed the directions from her ghost, and she crossed the Steppes with ease, no Fallen standing in her way at the moment. She approached the downed ship, the seemingly catastrophic crash fresh as a light smoke still floated out from the ship.

She deployed Ghost over the ship wreckage, and it scanned it for a few moments before it turned back to her.

"The ships avionics are completely catatonic, but I can still pull their last transmission," it said before turning back to the ship, scanning a few times once again. "It seems like they managed to restore an information hub down in the tunnels below the surface. We should check it out."

Tatum wasn't sure how Ghost managed to pull that information from that transmission, since all she heard was a static, jumbled mess. But nonetheless, new directions appeared on her radar, and she started toward whatever destination her ghost was leading her to.

She entered a nearby building, taking it slow as she descended a few levels beneath the surface, flashing her rifle in different directions as she moved through the tunnels, checking for any Fallen that could be lurking. Once she was sure there were none, she crossed the open room at the end of the last tunnel and came upon a large map that spread across the entire wall. There were control panels below it, but their circuits were certainly shot from no use for probably ages by now.

"Wow…a map of the entire area," Ghost remarked once it was deployed yet again. "This is incredible. It really gives you an idea of how vast the Cosmodrome is." After a few seconds of scanning the map, Ghost turned to Tatum. "We really need to find that warp drive though if we want any hope of traveling to other planets or moons. If that crashed ship didn't have it, then the Fallen probably took it already. Our best bet is to return to where we found your first jumpship."

"Wait, so what were we doing this whole time looking at this map?" Tatum asked, and Ghost could detect her raising an eyebrow through her helmet.

"I was seeing if I could regenerate any of its electrical traces. If I could have done that, then pings from the warp drive would show up, leading us to its exact location. However, this map control center hasn't been active for who knows how long."

Tatum nodded and turned back once her ghost displayed the directions back to Dock 13. She managed to avoid the Fallen along the route, and as they moved on, Ghost received a transmission.

"Hey rookie," Kasey said once Ghost established the link. "How ya holding up?"

"Didn't think you cared," Tatum replied, hoping Kasey could pick up her light tone and not take it too seriously. But, Tatum really _wasn't_ sure if Kasey really cared about her at this point. She couldn't admit that yet though.

"I'm your mentor, it's my job to care."

Well…now Tatum was _sure_ Kasey didn't truly care about her at this point.

"I'm just fine," Tatum answered. "No Fallen yet. We're headed back to the hangar in Dock 13. Best bet at finding that warp drive."

There was a brief sound of gunfire before Kasey responded. "Sounds good. Remember, if you get into any trouble, just call on me and I'll help ya out."

The link cut out, and Tatum almost wanted to groan in frustration. Okay, they were on a mission, and Kasey was on a patrol, but even through a transmission Kasey sounded all distant and broody.

There were a few Fallen at the entrance to Dock 13, and Tatum fought them off with relative ease before entering the dock. She moved through the last few rooms and tunnels without encountering anymore Fallen, and then they arrived back at the hangar.

Several Dregs, Vandals, and Shanks were already in the hangar, and once they spotted her, they took their fighting positions. But then, another Fallen jumped into the hangar from the wall. It resembled a Captain like the last time Tatum was here, but it was bigger and had what looked to be two spiked horns on either side of its head.

"Shit, what the hell is that thing?!" Tatum got out as it fired heavy, flaming bullets from its rifle at her. She took cover behind a wall, escaping any potential damage.

"Riksis," Ghost answered. "He's an Archon from the House of Devils. You have to defeat him if we want that warp drive."

Tatum clenched her jaw as she broke cover to pick off the few Dregs. She figured she would take out Riksis' backup Fallen first, that way she could focus the rest of her fight on just him.

It was tough going though, as whenever she broke cover, Riksis would fire at her. And those bullets _hurt_. She knew her armor wasn't strong enough to take too many hits from Riksis' rifle, and she ran behind the various objects lying throughout the hangar as she took down the Vandals one by one, which made it hard for Riksis to get an accurate shot at her.

She had forgotten about the Shanks, though, and the bullets they fired were relentless. However, due to focusing on the Vandals, she didn't realize how much damage she was taking from them until several of their bullets broke through her armor.

Tatum groaned out in pain and she felt a sting in her left arm, and she jumped out of the way right before another round of bullets from Riksis nearly hit her. She slid into cover behind a wall, and a steady trickle of blood fell down her arm.

"Hang on," Ghost said, quickly scanning the injured part of her tricep, but it couldn't completely stop the flow of blood before the Shanks were on Tatum again.

She sprayed her bullets around, hitting all of them at some point, and they fell to the ground, no longer a threat. Ghost repaired her armor instead of finishing up on her wound, as it knew armor would be most important to fight Riksis.

Tatum took a deep breath before she peeked out from behind the wall, and she gave a signal for her shotgun. Once it was in her hands, Tatum launched her grenade at Riksis. It detonated right as it hit him, significantly weakening his shield. Tatum charged at him, and a couple heavy bullets from her shotgun broke completely through his shield, allowing her to deal damage.

She gave a quick melee right as he fired his own bullets directly into her chest armor, and she could feel the pain radiating through her chest as her armor quickly broke down against his attack. She took cover for a short moment, allowing Ghost to repair her armor as much as possible before she jumped back to Riksis again.

She fired all five bullets currently in her shotgun at him, causing him strong damage, and she could tell he was growing weaker by the second. She finished her attack with another melee, stunning him for a small moment, but it wasn't long enough for her to get back to cover as she took another round of bullets to her back.

Now that Riksis was weaker, he was more aggressive, and Tatum couldn't stay in one spot for long without the risk of being hit with more bullets. She reloaded her shotgun on the move, but Riksis was able to land a couple bullets on her. It was enough to break through her armor again, this time on her side. She felt one of his flaming bullets tear through the last of her armor, and it was strong enough to break through her skin as well, but her adrenaline was too high for her to be stunned by the pain.

With one last charge at Riksis she fired another full round from her shotgun. When the final bullet hit him, he screeched out as he fell to the ground, and Tatum watched as the last light flashed from his eyes.

It turned out that Riksis was, indeed, carrying the warp drive. His motives for having it were unknown, but they didn't matter at this point. Ghost scanned the warp drive off of Riksis before he turned to addressing Tatum's wounds.

She was kneeling on the ground, hunched over as she clutched at her side. The bleeding wasn't too heavy, but it was enough to have stained the surrounding area of her armor.

"I'll send Kasey our signal," Ghost said as it began zapping and scanning away at Tatum's injury. "But nice job killing Riksis. And, we got our warp drive. Also, I can't repair your armor right now. We need to dress your wounds, which is something I, a tiny, flying robot being, cannot do."

Tatum glanced at her side to see an ugly scab covering her wound, and at the mention of not being able to repair her armor, Tatum became aware of a warm liquid slowly dripping down her arm. The small gash on her arm must have reopened at some point during her movement, and it wasn't long until it started stinging too.

* * *

Kasey was on her way as soon as she received the coordinates from Tatum's ghost. Tatum hadn't called for her at all, which was a good sign the young Warlock must have been holding her own.

She had a fairly successful patrol, eliminating a few threatening Servitors and Vandals in the area and collecting ether sups for the Future War Cult. Nothing too exciting happened during her patrol, and there weren't many other Guardians around either, which was usual. The Cosmodrome was usually pretty quiet, as the Guardians had done a fairly decent job of keeping Fallen and Darkness activity in general to lower levels.

She moved quickly to Tatum's location, eliminating a few groups of Fallen she passed along the way just for the hell of it. She continued through Dock 13 until she arrived at the hangar, and she saw Tatum sitting on the ground, resting against the wall. Kasey could tell that Tatum was injured just from the labored way her chest rose and fell.

"Hey," she said as she approached the younger girl. "You get that warp drive?"

"Yeah," Tatum breathed out before she slowly stood up, taking in another sharp breath as pain ran through her entire right side.

"Great. We'll head back to the Tower. You need to meet with the Speaker again when you get back," Kasey replied. "Have your ghost pilot your ship. I'll help you with your injuries."

Tatum nodded, and her ghost called on her ship, and it was hovering above them in moments.

Kasey's ship appeared soon as well, and she called on her own ghost, one with a vibrant, almost leafy green color to it. It scanned them into Kasey's ship, and Tatum was relieved there was at least some room to move around in it, instead of being crammed into a small cockpit like her jumpship had.

Kasey's ghost scanned both their helmets off, and Kasey had Tatum sit in the pilot chair as her ghost steered them away from the Cosmodrome, and the Hunter pulled out a box of medical supplies.

"You were lucky these weren't any worse," Kasey said as she wet a cloth with some water, and she blotted some of the still fresh blood off of Tatum's skin.

"Thanks for being so reassuring," Tatum replied, rolling her eyes as well.

"I told you that you could have asked for help. Also, this might hurt a bit," she said before she took the cloth and pressed it over the scab on Tatum's side.

"Fuck…" Tatum breathed out, and she couldn't help but feel tears prick her eyes from the stinging and burning radiating from her wound to the rest of her midsection.

"Your ghost did a pretty good job of fixing these up for its first time handling bodily injuries," Kasey commented as she pulled out several large, white gauze pads and a beige wrap. "Brian, could you scan her chest armor off?"

"Give me one second," her ghost responded as he set the ship to autopilot.

"You named your ghost Brian?" Tatum asked, raising her eyebrows as a small laugh escaped her.

"He sounds like a Brian."

"Why am I not surprised by this?"

Kasey grinned in response as Brian scanned Tatum's chest armor away, setting it down right beside her. The blood had actually stained through a larger portion of the white t-shirt beneath Tatum's armor than either of them thought.

"Well…I won't make this situation awkward and make you take your shirt off," Kasey said, which elicited another eye-roll from Tatum. "But for future reference, this wrap should be on your skin. It'll just make sure the bandages are held tighter."

Kasey gently placed the gauze pads over Tatum's wound before she started wrapping the beige, elastic bandage around Tatum's midsection. With their already close proximity and silence in which Kasey wrapped the bandage around her, Tatum thought it wouldn't have made a difference if she had taken off her shirt…the situation was already incredibly awkward anyways.

"Make sure you take this off tonight," Kasey said as she gave the elastic bandage a small pat, making sure it would stay before she wiped away the other blood surrounding the wound on Tatum's arm. "Let it air out, but wrap it up again tomorrow. Your arm isn't actually that bad, so your ghost can definitely fix that up later tonight. But your side…that'll take a couple days of your ghost scanning at it," she finished as she placed a regular stick bandage onto Tatum's arm.

Kasey let Tatum have the pilot's chair for the rest of the flight back. It didn't take much longer to reach the Tower, and they finished the trip in silence.

Tatum met up with her ghost once they were scanned out of Kasey's ship, and the Hunter followed just a step being her.

"I take it you found that warp drive?" Amanda asked as she walked over to the two Guardians.

Tatum handed the shipwright the warp drive. "Have at it," she said lightly, and Amanda nodded, turning the warp drive in her hand as she inspected it.

"Looks good. I'll have your ship all ready for interplanetary flight by tomorrow. Hopefully this asshole wasn't too hard on you," she joked, giving Kasey a small nudge.

"What are you talking about, Holliday, you know how much I can't stand her. Not even one day and she's already on my nerves," Kasey said back, but this time Tatum could clearly hear the sarcasm in her voice. She also couldn't help but squint slightly at the interactions between Kasey and Amanda. Their banter was almost too effortless. And something else Tatum couldn't quite put her finger on.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she looked over to see Cayde standing next to her.

"If you're sensing the sexual tension between those two, you're not the only one," he said.

Well, that was…straightforward, to say the least, Tatum thought. But yes, that's definitely what it was. They were certainly close enough to Amanda and Kasey to be overheard, but the two were too engrossed in their own conversation to notice.

"Okay, first, why are you here? And second, yes, thank you for confirming what I couldn't quite put a label on," Tatum replied.

"I just came to ask how your first mission together was," Cayde answered. "Kasey is one of my closest comrades, and I know she can come off a bit…harsh? Distant? Mysterious? I don't know. There are a lot of words to describe her. So I just wanted to see how you two were holding up."

"Distant and mysterious, definitely. Harsh, not so much to be honest. She's certainly not mean, but she isn't necessarily the warmest person either. But, uh, finding the warp drive went relatively well. I got a few injuries, but nothing too serious. Kasey dressed them on our flight back and-,"

"Aw. That is so nice, and so gay," Cayde interrupted. His blue, Exo eyes widened in response to the incredulous look Tatum gave him, so he cleared his throat and continued. "Yeah, well, forgetting what I just said…I, uh…actually I'm not too sure how to move on from that one."

"Let's just forget it ever happened, like you said." Tatum squinted her eyes and gave a brief nod as she patted Cayde on the shoulder. "I really should be going to see the Speaker right now anyways."

"Kasey, stop flirting and walk your trainee to the Speaker," Cayde blurted, catching both Kasey and Amanda off-guard.

"You aren't subtle," Cayde started again as Kasey walked past him, Tatum following not too far behind, and they got into a bickering of incoherent phrases until Kasey finally turned away, a small grin still on her face as she shook her head.

"So what does the Speaker want to see me about?" Tatum asked, trying to divert the subject.

Kasey shrugged, back to her usual distant self again. "In all honesty, I don't think anyone really knows what the Speaker tells us half the time. Apparently, he speaks for the Traveler, though, so I guess everything he tells us about comes from it."

"And you…have doubts about that?"

"No. Regardless of how it works, I definitely think he does. The Traveler has seen one of the biggest falls of humanity. It's trying to tell us what happened so we can continue to grow not just as Guardians, but as a human race. It's just hard to believe some of the things. You'll find that out soon enough." Once they entered the north part of the Tower, Kasey gave a small nod to Tatum. "Meet me back in the Plaza after your little meeting with the Speaker," she added before she turned and left, her cloak flowing somewhat majestically in the soft breeze behind her.

"We were much more powerful many years ago."

Tatum turned at the sound of the Speaker's voice. He started down the stairs, and it all felt the exact same as their meeting the previous day.

"I told you of the story of the fight between the Traveler and the Darkness…between the good and evil forces this universe has to offer, but I am sure you still have many more questions," he continued.

"Yeah, um…tell me about the ghosts? Mine helped heal some of my wounds during battle and even repaired my armor. But what exactly are they for?" she asked as she looked out at the setting sun, vibrant pinks and oranges spread throughout the sky over the Last City.

"The Traveler created them for us. A ghost is programmed with the details of their Guardian before they are sent out to find them. Clearly, you've seen the ghost's incredible abilities. But they are much more than a machine to repair our wounds and armor or to transport us places or save us from death. They hold our memories.

"When a Guardian is woken, their memories are jumbled and fogged. For new Guardians, like yourself, it seems as if there are no memories at all. But, the more you fight and the more you discover, the more you uncover these hidden memories. They are of a life you used to have before or shortly after the Collapse. While you will figure out the meanings to those memories, you also have a new life to create as a Guardian. Your ghost stores this new life. So, if the day ever comes where you simply cease to exist anymore, we can remember you through the story your ghost has kept of your life."

"Wow…" Tatum got out. It was an interesting concept. The fact that the Traveler sent these technological beings with characteristically human thought processes to them…it was incredible to even think something like the Ghost existed.

"Your ghost will guide you through your fight against the Darkness. It is coming back, and it is stronger than ever. I do not think we will survive it this time, but with Guardians growing stronger with the Traveler's Light every day, it could be possible."

"I want nothing more than to help. My ghost was sent to the Cosmodrome with my name. This is my purpose now," Tatum said, a firm nod of her head following her words.

"Then keep training. Keep fighting. Join your fellow Guardians in the fight to push back the Darkness. You will see…you will make a difference."

* * *

Tatum walked back to the Tower Plaza, her ghost floating quietly beside her. She was still intrigued by what the Speaker had told her about the ghost's purpose, and she was still mildly confused by what it meant. How exactly did Ghost hold her memories? How exactly did it keep a record of this new life she was creating? And most importantly…what was the true purpose of doing this...of being a Guardian? She figured that maybe those were questions – like Kasey had said earlier – she would find the answers to as she continued to fight and explore.

She spotted Kasey by the railing of the Plaza, now illuminated by pole lights as the sun had completely set by now, and she was talking to another Guardian. As she approached the pair, she saw that he was an Exo, and a Titan.

"Hey," Tatum said, giving Kasey a small nod in greeting.

"Tatum, I want to introduce you to Arlo-8," she said.

"You can leave out the number," the Titan said, the corners of his mechanical mouth tilting upwards. It was actually pretty cute, Tatum thought, the way he smiled. There was something about his face that, for an Exo, was calm and inviting.

"He's one of my closest friends," Kasey continued. "We've fought through a lot together, and in the case I can't accompany you on a mission or patrol or whatever it may be…he will."

Tatum nodded and smiled at Arlo. "Sounds like a plan."

"Kasey told me that you have good potential to become a very strong Guardian," Arlo said. "I'm happy she chose to include me in your training."

"Thanks. I'm looking forward to getting out there with you too. I still have a long way to go before I'm anywhere near the experience level you two are at."

"Humble too…Kasey, you have a good one here. You're lucky," Arlo said with a small chuckle.

"Arlo's previous trainee was a bit of an asshole," Kasey elaborated. "Okay…he was actually _a lot_ of an asshole. Strong Guardian, but not so strong of a personality."

Arlo's ghost lifted suddenly off his shoulder, several beeps sounding before it resumed its position of the Titan's shoulder.

"That's my cue," he said. "A few other Guardians and I are off to the Reef for some casual Prison of Elders."

"Casual," Kasey replied, one eyebrow raised at her Exo friend.

"It's not Challenge, that's for sure."

"True. Have fun. I'll see you around."

With that, Arlo departed toward the Hangar, and Kasey turned back to Tatum, something of a lighter expression on her face.

"Uh, so…I forgot to ask…how was your first night here?"

"Asking about my wellbeing? Huh…maybe you do care," Tatum said.

"I told you…it's my job to care."

"Right. Well, it was good, I suppose. I was up pretty late just thinking. Ya know…questions and wondering what it truly means to fight out there. The deep thoughts."

"I understand. We've all been through it. You'll find your meaning though. We all do," Kasey replied.

"Have you?"

"Have I what?"

"Found your meaning…to why you fight and…stuff."

"I think I'm on my way," the Hunter answered. "But that's a conversation for another time. If you decide to head out on another mission tomorrow, let me know. I've dedicated the next few weeks to completing patrols on different planets, but if you have something…I don't mind coming along."

"Yeah, for sure. And uh, thanks for, ya know, helping me out with my injuries and all."

"Make sure you take those bandages off tonight and have your ghost do some healing. Goodnight, Tatum."

Kasey walked off before Tatum had a chance to reply. The young Warlock sighed out before she started back along the way to her living quarter. Her room was quite a way down the Tower. She guessed the more experienced Guardians lived closer to the top?

It was a nice room. Nothing too special or fancy, but the bed and pillows were comfortable, she had an attached bathroom, a couch, projected TV, a desk and chair, and a wardrobe for both her armor and any regular clothes she wore, which wasn't a lot. There was also a small kitchen-type area with machines available to prepare any food she might decide to bring back from the main dining areas in the Tower. Tatum figured that, with time, she would be able to make this place a little homier.

 _With time._

Tatum used that phrase a lot in her thoughts. Not only that, but others she had talked to had also used those words or things similar to it a lot. What did they mean by 'with time?'

How much time before she started getting answers to her questions? How much time before she started to find her meaning for fighting as a Guardian? How much time before she started uncovering her lost memories? How much time before she managed to break through Kasey's walls and get to know her mentor more and more?

And yet, there was only one answer to these…

 _With time._

* * *

 **A/N: so I clearly copy some dialogue directly from the story missions, but I think some of the ideas I have about the game are easy to see now.**

 **Also, in terms of gear and weapons and all that great stuff, I'll be referring to it just by name since it's kind of hard to describe that stuff in a way that flows properly with the story. So, if you're familiar with the game and know what all this stuff is, then great! If you're not, you can always Google the gear, weapon, etc. names so you know what they look like!**

 **Leave your thoughts about the story so far. Constructive criticism and even suggestions are always welcomed! Have a question about the story in general? Don't be afraid to send me a message and ask!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **\- lgbtdestiny**


	3. Kasey and Amanda? Kasey and Amanda

Chapter 3

* * *

 _"It ushered in the Golden Age, a time of miracles. But it never shared its deepest secrets."_

* * *

Arlo was impressed by Tatum's skill for being so new to the whole Guardian thing. It took him a few weeks actually, before he felt strong on his feet as a Titan. But Tatum was learning fast, and she was always eager to push forward with her missions and training.

He had accompanied her on her most recent mission where she had to destroy a tap the Fallen had created. They had somehow broken into the Cosmodrome network and were pulling information from it. They had no idea why, nor did they have a strong grasp on what that information was. Arlo let Tatum plow her way through most of the fight of protecting her ghost as it hacked into the Fallen tap to recover the data, and he only gave her minor assistance from afar with damaging the several Fallen Captains that came at her.

Once her ghost had retrieved the data, they found that an AI, Rasputin, had survived the Collapse. Apparently he was made to help protect Earth, and Arlo and Tatum assumed that the Fallen were probably trying to reverse that and make it so Rasputin could help them destroy it instead.

"You're a good fighter," Arlo said as they made their way up to the surface so their ghosts could call on their ships. "Definitely fearless. Just don't go charging into every battle like that."

"I'm assuming Titans are the ones that do?" Tatum responded, a grin lighting up her face.

"Yes, we do. We were made for that. We're kind of like the front-line soldiers," he answered. "Hunters and Warlocks tend to provide the rear support…in Fireteams, that is. You'll have your experience with those later. But Titans, even in solo missions, do tend to take the more aggressive fighting style."

"Tell me how Kasey fights," Tatum said, her thoughts drifting to the Hunter once again. Apparently her mentor was in the Crucible having a grand old time in the Inferno Supremacy challenge from Shaxx. Did Tatum have any idea what that was? No. But she was sure she would hear about it from Kasey when she got back.

"She has a very conservative fighting style," Arlo started. "She really doesn't go into battle guns blazing as many Guardians try to do. She takes her time moving through her missions. She evaluates her situation, where the enemies are, where they're coming from, and where good cover is before she starts fighting. Of course, this is for when she faces a much bigger enemy. In situations with lower ranks of the various armies of the Darkness, she's usually more aggressive.

"But her strategy for taking down larger enemies such as a Fallen Archon or Servant of Oryx is truly incredible. As I mentioned, she's more conservative in her fighting, and she'll focus on taking out the Major or Ultra's back-up forces first before she directs the fight directly to them. She'll keep moving throughout her cover, and once there aren't many smaller forces left she'll start being more aggressive in her fighting. You will experience it soon. I'm sure she'll actually stick with you for a whole mission at some point."

Tatum rolled her eyes at his last statement. "I'll be waiting for that day. She really doesn't like to get personal, huh?"

"Not really. But it isn't my place to speak about that."

"Okay…but at least tell me this: how did you get to know her? You two seem pretty close."

"Kasey is like a sister to me," Arlo replied. "We arrived at the Tower around the same time, and I suppose it was just by chance that we met on our first mission. I offered to help, and while she was reluctant at first, she accepted. We made a good team, so…we just sort of decided to keep that going, and we accompanied each other often on various patrols and missions. We've done all our Strikes and Raids together too. Just a bond that formed over battle. So, don't worry, you'll get there."

He gave Tatum a small but reassuring bump with his elbow, and Tatum couldn't help the smile that graced her lips as both of their ships came into view.

"I'm off to Mars for a patrol," Arlo said. "I'll see you around though. And tell Kasey I am requesting that she spend some time with you."

Tatum laughed softly before nodding. "Will do. Good luck with your patrol."

She watched as his ghost scanned him into his ship, and within moments he was gone. She stood in silence with her ghost for a few more moments, before Ghost piped up and floated in front of her.

"I hate to break this reflective silence, but are we going back to the Tower?" it asked.

"You know…I think I'm gonna call you Otto."

"Otto," her ghost repeated slowly. "I…I can live with that."

"Great. Now we can go back to the Tower," she said.

Once she was scanned into her ship, Otto spoke up again as he programmed their coordinates to the Tower.

"How are your injuries feeling?"

"They're fine. I think I'll change the bandage again when we get back. You can do your…healing thing," Tatum replied. "How is that possible for you to do anyway?"

"All I know is that that's an ability given to us by the Traveler. It has technological powers far beyond our knowledge," Otto said back. "It's strange that even I don't have the answers to how my abilities are possible when I'm a creation of the Traveler itself."

"Yeah…I guess there are a lot of things in the universe and even here on Earth we'll never be able to explain."

"I'm sure some things will only get more confusing when we finally go to other planets."

"Well, that's comforting," Tatum said, the sarcasm in her voice clear.

"Also, how much thought did you give to my name?" he asked.

"Not too much," Tatum answered. "Just something about you that made me think of Otto."

They were about halfway through their trip back to the Tower when Otto piped up with an incoming transmission. He focused his signal, and soon he had a clear connection.

"Hey rookie," Kasey said. "How was your recent endeavor to the Cosmodrome?"

Tatum wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was somewhat glad to hear Kasey's voice. Despite the recurring sarcasm and distant attitude from her mentor, there was something about Kasey that Tatum was just continuously drawn to. She supposed it was how reserved Kasey was. She certainly wanted to know more about the Hunter, and the fact that Kasey wasn't making that an easy thing to do was kind of forcing Tatum to pursue her even further.

"It was good," Tatum answered. "Arlo had to help me out a little with handling the Fallen Captains, but it was a good run."

"Any injuries?"

"I sort of aggravated the one on my side a little…Otto healed it more last night but it's still a scab so, part of that must have rubbed off under my armor."

"Okay…no new ones though. That's good to hear," Kasey replied. "I just got back from the Crucible. I can meet you at the Hangar if you'd like. Also, cute name for your ghost."

"Thanks…and uh, yeah, that would be nice actually!" Tatum said, and she mentally berated herself for sounding almost too enthusiastic about it.

"See ya there," was Kasey's response before the transmission cut out.

* * *

Kasey found Amanda and Cayde working on another Guardian's ship at the Hangar. Apparently, they were trying to equip it with a stealth drive as the Guardian was heading over to scout the area surrounding the Dreadnaught. Kasey remembered when she had done that. Despite disabling Oryx's super weapon of mass solar destruction, as Kasey simply thought of it, many enemy ships still lurked the area; it was too risky for one Guardian to head in that direction in plain sight. Thus, stealth drives helped Guardians slip past any enemy ships so they could land safely on the Dreadnaught.

"Cayde, I hope this stealth drive actually works," Kasey said as she approached the two.

"You know I would only trust you with a faulty one," Cayde answered.

"I could have been disintegrated. Remember, Oryx's weapon was still intact."

"Right, you were part of the team that disabled it. That was a tough battle. I honestly thought we were going to lose a couple of you."

"Well…we all made it," Kasey said, and she leaned against the table set up near the ship that had the stealth drive and various tools belonging to Amanda spread out on it.

The three of them watched as another jumpship landed in the Hangar, and soon enough Tatum was scanned out and walked toward them.

"Huh, you actually waited up for her," Cayde said, his Exo mouth tilting up in a smirk.

"I'm just trying to be a good mentor," Kasey replied shortly.

"Hey, hopefully you weren't waiting for me for too long," Tatum said to Kasey as she came to stand next to Cayde.

"You're fine. I want to know more about how your mission went though." Kasey hopped up to sit on the table so she could get a little more comfortable, and the table's legs wobbled a bit under her weight. "Jeez," she commented. "How can you work on a table like this? Amanda, you wouldn't know how it got like this by any chance, would you?"

Cayde took a few glances between Kasey's knowing grin and Amanda's attempted expression to look passive about Kasey's question, and he connected the dots.

"For cryin' out loud, please tell me you two did _not_ christen this table too," he said. From the lack of response, he knew they did. "I've literally been touching this table and moving things around on it for the last hour, I…I can't believe this. Why can't you find more private places?"

"Well between my busy schedule being a Guardian and all-," Kasey started, but she was quickly cut off by Amanda clamping her hand over the Hunter's mouth.

"You're officially cut off for two weeks," the shipwright said.

"Wow, tough luck, Kasey," Cayde added, a light chuckle escaping him.

Kasey shrugged as she hopped off the table, nodding to Tatum, signaling for the Warlock to follow her. "Fine," she said. "But we all know this is gonna backfire. I'll bet Holliday can't even make it three days."

"Oh my goodness, you're such an asshole," Amanda mumbled, and even though Kasey was far away enough by now that she couldn't hear it, Cayde did, and he could tell Amanda was only half-joking with the statement.

"Ya know, I've always wondered why you keep going after her," he said to the young woman. "I mean, no offense or anything. I just…even though she's one of my closest comrades, she's not the most…emotionally available person ever."

Amanda ran a hand through her short, blonde hair and sighed out as she began installing the stealth drive on the ship.

"I know what you mean," she replied. "I can't really explain it. It's like…we're friends for sure. But, I don't know…I guess I want something she's just not ready for. Or, something she just can't emotionally handle right now, I suppose. I'm okay with it though. As long as she's there on some level, that's all I really need."

* * *

"So, you gonna tell me more about your mission or not?" Kasey said after a few minutes of walking in silence.

"Yes, if I can ask you a question first."

Kasey rolled her eyes as they came out into the Tower Plaza, and she waited until they weren't within earshot of any other Guardians before she turned to Tatum. "No, Amanda and I aren't together. Yes, we did, as Cayde worded it, christen that table."

"How did you even know I was gonna ask-,"

"It was obvious from your face when we were in the Hangar. So, now that that's covered, talk to me about your mission."

"Uh, well…" Tatum tried to find her words as she forced herself to move on from Kasey literally admitting to sleeping with the freakin' shipwright. "We found that the Fallen were tapping into data reserves that belonged to an AI that survived the Collapse called Rasputin. We guessed that since Rasputin was created to help protect Earth, the Fallen were trying to find a way to reverse that so they could use Rasputin to destroy us."

"Hm, that's interesting. I'll let Cayde know about that too. He's always been interested in finding out more about Rasputin and his origins and purpose. Well done."

"Thanks. Also, Arlo said he's requesting you spend more time with me."

"And I'm not doing that right now?" Kasey raised an eyebrow as she leaned against the railing of the Plaza and looked out at the Last City that spread out before the Tower. "I'm trying, okay. Um…personal relationships haven't really been my thing for a while. I guess I just have to get used to being with you for a majority of my time now."

"You really don't sound too thrilled about that," Tatum said, a soft sigh escaping her and she also leaned on the railing, but she turned to Kasey, eyeing the young Hunter closely.

"I don't really know how I feel about this yet. It's different, and I'll certainly have to make sacrifices of my own to help you gain experience in battle. But you have a lot of potential. And, you have a good attitude, so that makes it more bearable."

Tatum let a light smile grace her lips. She wasn't expecting Kasey to sound so genuine with her compliment, and as small as it might have been, it actually meant a lot to Tatum. Despite Kasey's standoffish personality, Tatum looked up to the Hunter already. She saw the mutual respect between Kasey and other Guardians, and she could tell how highly the Vanguard thought of Kasey.

"How was your match in the Crucible?" Tatum asked, shifting the subject as she could tell Kasey was growing a little uncomfortable with the silence that had settled between them for the last few moments.

"Shaxx gave us an Inferno Supremacy challenge this week," Kasey started, relaxing a little bit now that she was talking about something other than anything remotely emotional. "Basically, you have to take a Guardians crest after you defeat them. Shaxx is all about how the crest is sacred to a Guardian and all that good stuff. I just see it as competitive fun and a race to the highest score. I've also been improving my KD ratio, especially with these last couple matches I did. You'll get in there soon enough. It's certainly challenging, but something about it is fun too."

"Yet another thing I'll have to gain experience with," Tatum replied, a small but hopeful smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"There are a lot of things you'll have to learn. Being a Guardian is more than just these missions you're being sent out on right now, and it only gets harder from here."

"I appreciate your honesty with all this. I can't help but have an optimistic hope for the future, but already I'm having doubts that I can keep that up."

"I'm exactly the opposite," Kasey said with a small shrug. "Been pessimistic about almost everything ever since I came to the Tower. It helps me deal with the hard, emotional shit that happens every now and then. But I guess I could use a little optimism."

They fell into a silence after Kasey's last statement, both of them watching the sun set, the darkness of the night sky slowly taking over, yet the Traveler remained illuminated in the sky. And, in this moment, Tatum felt more relaxed and comfortable with Kasey than any words between them right now could accomplish.

* * *

Kasey went to the Tower library after she had parted with Tatum for the night. She was happy with the progress the young Warlock was making. It had only been a few full days since Tatum was brought back by her ghost, but it certainly felt like weeks.

She was sitting on the ground, leaning against the tall bookshelf, skimming through a book about the first accounts of the Guardians' encounters with the Ghosts.

She had gone back to her living quarters before this, and Brian had scanned her armor off then. She had changed into a more comfortable outfit of a plain white long-sleeved t-shirt and grey sweatpants. There was no need for heavy armor in a late-night reading session.

Kasey lifted her head as she heard the shuffling of footsteps nearing, and she allowed the corners of her lips to rise into a soft smile when she saw Amanda walk toward her.

"Figured I'd find you here," she said, her voice quiet as she sat down next to Kasey.

"Finally got away from the Hangar I see."

"You know we do have other shipwrights."

"But you're like the main one," Kasey said. "You're the best one."

"Hmm…always know how to make a girl feel special," Amanda replied, giving Kasey a soft bump on her shoulder, and the Hunter just playfully rolled her eyes. "What are you reading about this time?"

"More history of the Ghosts. Still trying to figure out how it's possible mine has no knowledge of my past or where I came from. I mean…I know my memories being all jumbled is normal, but Ghosts at least have _something_ about their Guardian. Not mine…not even a last name…"

"Hey…" Amanda started softly, running a hand through Kasey's hair, pushing some of the Hunter's thick, fluffy bangs out of her face. Kasey was usually opposed to any forms of casual, physical affection, but there was something about this that was comforting in this moment. "Nothing about being a Guardian is easy or simple. Everyone uncovers their memories and answers to their questions at a different pace."

"I've been fighting for five years, Amanda. You'd figure I'd have more answers by now. I just don't know how it's possible that there's absolutely nothing about my past. Or…anything that could lead me to finding out about it," Kasey said, huffing out in slight frustration.

"We've talked about this before, Kasey. I know you hate thinking about it, but maybe your parents or whoever has connections to your past wasn't a Guardian."

Kasey shook her head, and Amanda almost groaned at the expected response. She had brought this up more than enough times in the previous years whenever she found Kasey mulling over her questions about her past and where she came from. Every time, Kasey had responded the same way.

"I refuse to accept that. No way I came from people who refused to take the brave step for humanity, for this universe. No way I came from cowards."

"There you go, proving once again how stubborn Hunters can be," Amanda said.

"Okay…I know there are people who fought to get here. I know there are citizens of the Last City who, even though they just weren't cut out to be a Guardian, they still stepped up when they had to. They were stranded out there, and they fought to make it to refuge here. But how would I know my parents or predecessors did that?"

Amanda pursed her lips for a moment before she slowly took the book out of Kasey's hands and set it back on the shelf. "You don't know that, Kasey, and maybe you never will. But you're forging your own path now. You have been for the last five years. That's what truly matters."

"I'm going to find these answers at some point," Kasey grumbled as she stood up, looking anywhere but at Amanda for a couple moments as she collected her thoughts.

"I know you will. You're determined and stubborn that way."

They took the Tower Lift down to the floor of Kasey's living quarters, neither of them saying a word on the way back, until Amanda broke the silence as they walked down the long hallway toward Kasey's room.

"How are you and Tatum doing?"

"It's only been a few days, but I think we'll be fine," Kasey answered as her ghost scanned her door open.

"I know you hate getting personal with people now, but I think it's gonna be important to do that with Tatum. She admires you already, and I can tell she wants to know you better."

"That's kind of hard to do when even I don't know everything about myself," Kasey said, and she felt a sudden wave of fatigue hit her. It was hard to go several days of missions, patrols, Crucible matches, and whatever else a Guardian might want to accomplish, without much rest. She could tell she would be sleeping heavily tonight.

"Just don't shut her out completely. Being alone out there all the time will eventually catch up to you." She pulled Kasey to her for a soft hug, wrapping her arms around Kasey's shoulders, and she felt the Hunter relax a little in the embrace.

Kasey would never say it out loud, but she appreciated these moments with Amanda. The shipwright knew Kasey's emotional boundaries, and she always respected them. She never pushed the Hunter to talk about something she might not be so comfortable with at first, and she knew when to give Kasey the space she needed at certain times. She knew about the horrible things Kasey had been through in battle. She knew why Kasey was so against forming close emotional bonds with others anymore.

"I'll see ya around tomorrow," Amanda said when she pulled away, and she was so tempted to just kiss the Hunter right then and there. But she didn't. She knew that wasn't what their relationship was. So she gave Kasey one more short hug before she left.

Kasey watched Amanda leave, and she nearly cursed herself for not asking the blonde to stay. It was weird, how she felt around Amanda. They were certainly close, and they both trusted each other immensely, but Kasey wouldn't say what they had was love.

No, she wasn't ready for that again.

* * *

 **A/N: sort of a shorter chapter here, but hopefully you still enjoyed it! I wanted to highlight the Kasey/Amanda relationship a little more since we'll start to dive into what little is known about Kasey's past soon. In fact, as we'll see as the story progresses, the relationships between the characters are extremely important, which is an idea that stemmed from the simple fact that the game itself is set in a universe that breeds loneliness and tragedy, so relationships here – romantic or not – are vital to a character's survival and overall sanity I would imagine.**

 **We'll definitely have more action in the next chapter! The expositions of stories always tend to be a little slow, but it's an author's job to lay down that foundation!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **\- lgbtdestiny**


	4. Kasey, You're Whipped AF

Chapter 4

 **A/N: So this chapter will follow the mission The Last Array since it makes sense for Tatum's storyline to do this after The Warmind. I know the last chapter didn't have as much action, but we'll definitely see more fighting and interactions between Kasey and Tatum in this one. This is also a decently long chapter; I just got really into it as we'll start to find out about Kasey's past as a Guardian. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _"Today it is a graveyard, picked over by the Fallen House of Devils. But buried among the detritus of the Golden Age are the pieces we need to forge a new future."_

* * *

Kasey woke with a start, her left hand shooting out only to fall on an empty space in the bed next to her. Of course she wouldn't be there. It had been a while, but Kasey thought she would never get used to waking up alone. She sighed and let her heartrate slow down as Brian rose slowly off the bedside table, his blue center narrowing slightly almost as if he were squinting at Kasey, but he knew better than to ask.

"Morning," he said, knowing Kasey would simply want to move on from this. He knew his Guardian hated waking up rattled from her nightmares, and he knew she felt ashamed she was still having them. But, he thought, there was no shame at all. What had happened to Kasey was traumatizing, and it was something you wouldn't expect a person to really ever move on from.

Kasey groaned out in response as she saw the time, and she flopped back onto the bed, an overdramatic huff escaping her. "It's not even eight yet," she groaned. "I'm not meeting Tatum until ten."

"Then maybe you want to get some more rest? I can wake you back up around nine fifteen if you'd like," Brian answered.

"Nah, I'm already awake. No point in trying to relax now." Kasey draped an arm over her eyes and shook her head a few times before she sat up again, her heartrate just returning to normal. She hated the fact that she was still having nightmares about it. While she knew she would never get over it, she figured she would at least be able to move on from recurring dreams about it. It had been almost three years after all.

Kasey got out of bed, and she changed into a clean pair of black leggings and a plain white tank-top, which she wore under her armor. Then Brian scanned her armor onto her, and she almost sighed in relief as the familiar feeling of the light protective gear enveloped her. She loved that her gear wasn't bulky. It made sense, as a Hunter was supposed to be quick and agile. Her armor wasn't restricting, and she had no issue wearing it in common settings throughout the Tower, unlike some Guardians she knew, mostly Titans, who couldn't wait to return to their living quarters and shrug off all that gear.

"Where are we off to?" Brian asked, floating closely beside Kasey's shoulder.

"To grab some food, of course. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day," Kasey said with a wide grin, clearly over exaggerating her actions. If he could roll his eye, Brian thought, he would. He would admit to himself, though, that he rather enjoyed Kasey's dry, sometimes dark sense of humor. It was refreshing and much needed at certain times given that the universe they existed in didn't really leave much room for humor and laughter.

Kasey chose not to go to the main dining hall this morning. In fact, she usually never went there. Being the largest dining hall with the most options in the Tower, it was always super crowded, Guardians constantly fueling up with a solid meal before they headed out on their missions, knowing they would only have basic snacks and drinks available while they were gone. Kasey didn't like all the hustle and bustle of the main dining hall…too many people stopping her to chat for a few minutes. She just wanted to eat and get out of there. So, she almost always went to one of the several small dining rooms at the lower levels of the Tower. The newer and less experienced Guardians usually used those since their living quarters were also located in the lower floors. They really weren't all that crowded though, so Kasey could get her meal and head right out without too many social interactions.

Kasey stepped out of the Tower lift elevator on the thirty-second floor of the Tower. It was a long way down, considering the Tower was a couple hundred stories high, making it one of the tallest standing structures remaining on Earth.

The Hunter passed several Guardians on her way down the hallway to the dining hall. She could tell they were less experienced by their armor, specifically their class items. It was strange, how the Traveler's Light worked through them and their weapons and armor. As a Guardian gained more experience in battle, the Traveler would pass on more of its Light to that Guardian. Kasey, to this day, still didn't know how that whole thing worked, but as long as she was gaining Light and getting better gear she was all good.

"Hey stranger."

Kasey recognized the voice, and she couldn't help the grin that came to her lips as she turned and saw Amanda walking over to her.

"How come you're all the way down here?" Kasey asked as she picked up a plate with a stack of three pancakes on it. She had an appetite that was for sure, especially when she knew she would be gone for a little while. Plus, Onim-89 made a mean pancake.

"Guess I just know where to find my favorite Hunter," Amanda replied, giving Kasey a small nudge when the Guardian rolled her eyes.

"Thought you said I was cut off for two weeks, Holliday," Kasey said as the blonde picked up a plate with both a pancake and a waffle on it.

"Kase, you know what I meant."

They both walked over to the large refrigerator that the Frames continuously stocked with various drinks for the Guardians.

"No, Amanda," Kasey said as she reached around the blonde to grab a bottle of water from the open fridge, smirking as she effectively pinned Amanda between her and the side of the fridge. "I don't think I know what you meant by that."

Amanda nearly groaned in frustration just from being so close to Kasey, but she managed to push the Hunter off her before grabbing her own water. " _That_ …is exactly what you're cut off from. Besides, I thought you were the one who said _I_ would have difficulty keeping my hands off you," she said as they sat down across from each other. She had made sure to go to one of the far corners of the dining room. She didn't even like thinking about other Guardians potentially hearing their conversations.

"I give it a couple more days," Kasey answered. "You know I'll be gone for a little while now. I'm sure when I get back…" The Hunter trailed off as she gave Amanda a wink that was both playful and knowing.

Kasey started on her pancakes, quickly wharfing down the first one.

"Jeez, don't hurt yourself," Amanda commented, her playful tone clear, as it usually was whenever she was alone with the Hunter.

"Um…excuse me, but I'm leaving soon. I want to have a good meal."

"Right, uh, where are you going anyway. With Tatum, I'm assuming?"

Kasey nodded and took a drink of water, leaning back in her chair a bit as her thoughts drifted to the young Warlock for a moment. "Yeah, she has to head back to the Cosmodrome-,"

"Ugh, again?" Amanda interjected, scrunching her face at the mere thought of that place.

"Unfortunately no Guardian can ever fully escape the draw of the Cosmodrome. It's honestly horrible, but I probably hate going to the Moon even more. So much Hive activity there…shit's nasty and terrifying and I hate it."

Amanda couldn't help the soft laugh that escaped her as she finished off her waffle before starting on the pancake. She liked these moments with Kasey. It wasn't a rare event for them to have a meal together, and there was something oddly domestic about it that Amanda thought she could get used to.

"But uh…she has to go to the Skywatch for something, not sure yet, but I'm sure her Ghost will explain when we get there."

"You're finally gonna stay with her and see her through a whole mission this time?" the blonde asked, raising an eyebrow at Kasey.

"Ya know, I think I'll give it a try," Kasey replied with yet another playful wink that would always drive Amanda crazy.

The Hunter finished off the last of her plate, and they walked to the small conveyer belt, setting their dishes on it to be taken to the back where another Frame would clean them for later.

"I'm not sure why you're still holding back from her," Amanda said as they entered the Tower lift, ready for the long ride up to the Hangar.

"It's only been about a week since I met her. It'll take some time. Besides, you know how I feel about-,"

"I know Kasey. But you're going to be with this girl for a while. I mean, you were about her age too when your Ghost found you. She'll need someone to help her through."

"And I intend to do just that," Kasey said with a curt nod. She honestly wasn't sure how well she would fair should Tatum need any…emotional support or whatever. The Hunter had really been on her own for the past few years. The only time she teamed up with other Guardians was for Prison and Challenge and various Strikes. She was also in the process of gathering a Fireteam to prepare for the face-off with Crota, the Son of Oryx. They had lost many Guardians in the past to Crota, but Kasey was determined this time would put an end to him.

"How long are you gone for?" Amanda asked as the lift continued upwards, now with about seventy floors left.

"Well, I might shoot over to the Reef for some Prison of Elders with any Guardian willing, so…I'd say about a week, ya know, with travel and all. Don't miss me too much."

Amanda couldn't help but roll her eyes at Kasey's last comment. "I wouldn't count on it. Remember, you'll be cut off still for another week after you get back."

Kasey shook her head and let out a soft breath as she rested a hand on Amanda's lower back. "Oh Holliday, I highly doubt that," she said softly before she pressed her lips to the base of the blonde's neck, and Amanda knew if the lift wasn't stopping at the Hangar right at that moment she would have initiated something very risky.

"You are unbearable," Amanda said as the lift doors opened and Kasey took a step away.

The Hunter knew various members of the shipwright crew were aware of her…relationship – for lack of a better term – with the blonde, but she still didn't want to be blatantly obvious in front of them. Besides, public affection wasn't really her thing.

"Well, I must be doing something right if you've stuck around this long," Kasey answered. "I'll see you soon. I do have to come back here for my ship," she added with another light wink before she walked away, headed toward the Tower Plaza to meet with Tatum.

* * *

Tatum smiled the moment she saw Kasey coming from the Hangar, and she mentally swore at the fact that she probably seemed way too excited by just the sight of the Hunter. She couldn't help it though. Kasey had said she would stick with her the whole time, and the Warlock was glad she would actually get the chance to fight side by side with her mentor.

"Well…you look awfully happy today," Kasey said once she was close enough to Tatum, a slight smirk tugging at her own lips.

"Guess I'm still glad to go back out there…as weird as that sounds. I'm a Guardian. Might as well embrace it and it doesn't hurt to start early," Tatum answered with a small shrug of her shoulders.

"Try to hold onto that optimism. You'll need it." Kasey nodded to the Warlock, signaling for her to follow as they made their way to the Hangar.

Tatum nearly rolled her eyes at Kasey's still distant, broody attitude. But, she thought, there was nothing she could do to change that. It was Kasey's decision when she would open up to her more. Tatum certainly didn't want to rush Kasey into talking to her or anything, but it _was_ hard for her to hold back. It wasn't a bad thing for her to want to know more about her mentor.

"So…what exactly are you trying to accomplish with this mission?" Kasey asked as she walked back to the Hangar with Tatum.

"Well…it looks like there's an ancient Array that we're trying to reconnect to other colonies throughout the solar system," Tatum answered. "That's about all I know. But I'm guessing that's pretty important?"

Kasey nodded and gave a quick salute to Amanda Holliday, the shipwright just rolling her eyes in return before the two headed down to the Hangar's base level where their ships were already waiting for them. The Hunter turned around to a knowing grin from Tatum.

"What?"

"You two are totally a thing," Tatum said bluntly as if it were something that was just a known fact.

"Um…no we're not."

Tatum raised her eyebrows and let out a huffed breath as she turned toward her jumpship. "You keep telling yourself that."

The Warlock was already scanned into her ship before Kasey could respond, so the Hunter had Brian scan her in as well, and the second their ships were side by side in the air she got on the transmission to Tatum's ghost.

"Holliday and I are _not_ together, know that," she said, and she was met by a short laugh from Tatum.

"The fact that you're getting so defensive over this is saying otherwise."

"Look, I've known her since I got to the Tower. You don't know all the details of how our…relationship…works. We're close, but we aren't a thing."

"You two certainly act like you are, but I'll take your word for it," Tatum said.

"Focus on this mission, rookie," was Kasey's response before the transmission cut out.

It didn't take too long to get to the Cosmodrome, and Kasey let her eyes adjust for a moment to the bright sunlight filtering onto the Mothyards. She spotted a few Guardians in the distance, probably on a patrol. Tatum dropped down from her own ship within another few moments, and her Ghost spoke up.

"There have been reports that a team of Guardians went dark near the old Skywatch," Otto started. "They were running a mission for Dead Orbit, and they had codes to a hidden array that could reconnect us to other colonies in the system…other survivors and Guardians. If we can find their Ghosts, we have a chance to open that array. The Ghosts were last heard from near the Skywatch. We should head over there and see what we can find."

"We'll have to pass through the Lunar Complex," Kasey said, her shining, silver-colored armor reflecting the sunlight as she turned to Tatum. "Pull up your Sparrow. It's a bit of a hike."

Once their Ghosts had scanned their Sparrows in front of them, the two Guardians sped through the Mothyards, zipping past a couple small groups of Fallen that were holding the area. Kasey couldn't help but wonder, every time she passed through this area, what happened to the people on all these downed planes. Were there any survivors? Did some of the dead turn out to be Guardians? The Hunter figured she would never know.

They hopped off their Sparrows once they scaled the steep hill leading to the staircase of the Lunar Complex, and they were faced with a few Vandals and a Captain once they came to the surface level.

Tatum began firing at the Vandals, quickly picking off the first one with her rifle, while Kasey equipped her fusion rifle and charged right at the Captain. It only took one hard blast from the fusion rifle to send the Captain quickly disintegrated into nothing but space and time, the Hunter's Light too strong for it to handle. Tatum quickly finished off the last Vandal with a melee before joining Kasey at the entrance to the Lunar Complex.

"Wow…you really are sticking with me this time," Tatum said, a slight joking tone in her voice so she didn't seem too obnoxious with the statement.

"I'm here for you with this. I'm not going anywhere else," Kasey replied, and Tatum was glad they couldn't see each other's faces through their helmets because the Warlock couldn't help the light blush that filled her cheeks. Maybe it was because Kasey didn't respond with anything passive or flippant like Tatum was expecting. It sounded genuine, almost like Kasey truly cared.

They made their way down a couple levels, their Ghosts providing a light as they entered the pitch black rooms and tunnels. Once they went down another level, Brian spoke up to them.

"We're heading to that Hive breeding ground. Vanguard reports that they're spilling onto the surface now."

"I thought we were keeping Hive numbers really low here," Kasey said as they rounded the corner, and she held up a hand, stopping Tatum from going any further as they saw both Hive and Fallen fighting against each other. "You haven't encountered the Hive yet, have you?" she asked the Warlock. Tatum shook her head. "They're super gross and scary as hell. I hate them more than anything. Just stick by me, and you'll be fine."

They entered the large room that looked like it had been some sort of control room back when the Cosmodrome was still a functioning unit of life. Instantly, both the Hive and Fallen began firing at them, completely forgetting about their own quarrel as their only goal was to eliminate anything associated with the Traveler and its Light.

Tatum picked off a few Dregs fairly quickly, and she took some damage from the Hive members, but Kasey took care of them, one round of bullets from her pulse rifle for each effectively killing them.

They moved into the next room, and they we faced with several more Dregs, Vandals, and a Captain. Both of them fired at the Vandals and Dregs, knowing it would be hard for the Captain to land bullets on them if they kept moving. Kasey took down a couple of the Vandals with a couple rounds and a melee. She never usually got up close with her enemies, but given that her Light was simply too strong for these Fallen to handle, she figured it wouldn't be so bad to get right into the action instead of always taking down her foes from afar.

"I got the rest of these Dregs," Tatum said.

"Sure you don't wanna take down another Captain?" Kasey responded as she fired a couple rounds at the Fallen Captain, breaking through his weak shield.

"Maybe I'll do that again some other time," Tatum answered, killing a Dreg with a strong melee.

Kasey let out a small chuckle as she dodged the Captains own melee attack with a well-timed shade-step maneuver, and she equipped her fusion rifle, her brand new 77 Wizard, and one blast from it sent the Captain disintegrating into space.

Tatum also fired several rounds from her own pulse rifle to defeat the final Dreg, and she made her way back to Kasey after picking up a primary weapon ammo drop.

"The Ghosts are in a clearing between these buildings not far from here," Otto said as the two Guardians made their way around another corner, taking it slow at first to make sure there were no more enemies left. When they knew the coast was clear, they jogged the rest of the way to the opening in the Lunar Complex, and they came to a small clearing with a towering structure that was the Skywatch.

"The Fallen have the Ghosts," Otto said.

"We'll split up shortly," Kasey said to Tatum. "Once we find a Ghost that holds the codes to the array, we'll meet back up."

Tatum nodded as she watched Kasey sprint away, and she saw shock rifle bullets fly toward the Hunter as she jumped into the air, presumably over a group of Fallen. Tatum took that as her cue, and she headed toward the area where the bullets came from. She was only faced with a couple Dregs and a Vandal, and she effectively eliminated them with a few rounds. Otto highlighted the Ghosts that fell onto the ground, and she let him scan them.

"These are dead. Let's head to Kasey's location and see if she's having any luck," he said.

By the time they reached Kasey, the Hunter was already surrounded by the dead bodies of several Dregs and Vandals.

"This one was holding a Ghost," she said, and she pointed with the barrel of her gun to the small object lying on the ground next to one of the dead Dregs.

"Yes…this one still has the codes!" Otto exclaimed, his blue center brightening briefly in what Tatum only assumed was his way of expressing excitement. "Let's find the Array!"

They followed the directions their Ghosts gave them, taking their time walking through the Terrestrial Complex as there were no more Fallen standing in their way yet.

It didn't take long before the movement of Fallen showed up on their radars though, and Kasey and Tatum wasted no time with getting to work. Kasey launched her Voidwall grenade into the group of Fallen, and fortunately, all three of the Dregs were caught when it detonated, which meant all three of them were killed. The few Vandals were also injured, but they managed to jump away in time.

"What grenade do you have?" Kasey asked as they took cover behind one of the control panels lining the room.

"Scatter."

"Good. Give it a toss."

Tatum did as she was told, and she took light damage as she broke cover to throw her grenade. As its name implied, it scattered once it hit the ground, and several of the individual parts struck one Vandal, killing it instantly.

But Tatum was hit by a much heavier bullet, from another Vandal that had broken its own cover, and she fell back in pain, clutching at her armor over her chest. She had gotten struck right in the diaphragm, and the air was knocked harshly out of her lungs.

"Holy fuck…" she groaned.

"You okay?" Kasey asked as she somewhat dragged Tatum back to better cover.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just…what the hell is that? It's not a regular Vandal."

"It's an Elder Vandal. They're slightly stronger than the ones you're used to," Kasey answered. "I'll take care of it. Just follow behind me."

The Hunter took off, full sprint toward the Elder Vandal. Its bullets didn't do much damage to her high Light armor, and she slid on the ground to avoid its melee before coming up with her Hunter knife, landing a melee of her own, distinctly weakening it. Behind her, Tatum took down the few other Dregs that still remained, and with one round of her pulse rifle, Kasey took down the Elder Vandal.

Once the room quieted down without the sounds of guns firing, Kasey turned back to Tatum. "You sure you're good? You're still breathing pretty heavily." Without thinking, Kasey placed her hand lightly over Tatum's chest armor, her fingers brushing over the light tear in the chest plate.

Tatum had just worked her breathing back to normal only to have it completely knocked out of her again by the contact with Kasey. She had guessed the Hunter wasn't a big fan of physical contact, so this certainly came as a surprise.

"Have your Ghost fix that up real quick before we head to the Array Control Station," Kasey said, taking her hand away.

Kasey kept watch to make sure no other Fallen would sneak up on them for the small moment Otto scanned away at Tatum's chest armor, repairing if to full strength. Once Tatum was all set, their Ghosts displayed the directions to the Array Control Station on their radars.

They saw the opening to the small divide that stood between their current location and the control station, and Kasey kneeled down, looking through one of the broken windows to see a Fallen Skiff blast off into the distance.

"Well…there are plenty of Fallen waiting for us," the Hunter said.

Tatum stayed close to Kasey as they stepped out of the Terrestrial Complex, the Fallen instantly coming at them. They took their time, not rushing right into the middle of it all, and they shot down the Dregs one by one. They were able to take cover behind a small, rusted shack, and Kasey tossed her grenade into a larger group of Dregs and Vandals, eliminating a few of them.

The two Guardians broke their cover to fire at the Fallen, each taking light damage as they did, but the Vandals and Dregs fell quickly, and that was in part to Kasey's high Light-infused weapons.

They moved ahead in the clearing, finding cover from the few Fallen Captains that remained.

"Grenade," Kasey said.

Tatum broke cover, and she jumped into the air, taking more damage than she would have liked from the Captains as she threw her grenade toward them, and the scattered pieces effectively broke through two of their shields.

"Back me up, I'm going for it," Kasey commented, and she sprinted from their cover, jumping on top of a large, covered box of some sort before unleashing her Super. A bow made entirely of Void energy appeared in her left hand, an arrow in the other, and she fired the three arrows she had, one for each Captain, and they didn't stand a chance as each of them disintegrated into nothing more than a figment in space and time.

Kasey always loved the feeling she got when she used her Super. Drawing directly from the Void…it was always a rush. It seemed that Nightstalkers weren't all that common among Hunters. It seemed that most of them liked the Bladedancer and Gunslinger abilities as it allowed them to get right into the midst of the action. But Shadowshot was the most tactical. It required intense precision and timing. She guessed they just weren't willing to put in the time to master something like that.

"I, uh…guess you didn't need the backup," Tatum said.

"Yeah. I guess not." Even though Tatum couldn't see it, the young Warlock could guess Kasey was grinning under her helmet. "Come on," Kasey said.

The two made their way into the Array Control Station, and they had to kill a last few Fallen to get to the actual controls.

"Let's see if these codes still work," Otto said, and he floated over the controls and began to hack into the system. "Okay…negotiating cryptosystems. Shor-resistant security lattice verified. It's working! Outside…the Array is opening! Amazing…it's activating!"

Kasey and Tatum both headed to the edge of the control station and watched as a huge, mechanical structure began rising from the ground in the near distance. It was, as Otto said, amazing.

"Hive tombships! Cutting through!" Otto came through on the transmission.

Just as his transmission cut out, Kasey and Tatum saw the green and black portals opening in the air, two Hive ships entering the area.

"Get back inside the control station," Kasey said. "There's lots of cover in here and we can draw them in."

They backed into the control station as the Hive ships left, and soon the screeching of the Thralls became louder as the lowest section of the Hive army came charging toward them. Kasey threw her Voidwall grenade, and as each Thrall ran to them, they ran directly into the wall of Void light and energy, and each was killed instantly.

They were able to handle the few waves of Thralls and Acolytes that came at them, and Kasey spotted two Knights and one Hallowed Knight at the end of the clearing. They were making their way slowly toward the Guardians, firing an occasional shot from their Boomer rifles. Tatum and Kasey were able to avoid those, and they only took minor damage from the occasional shot by an Acolyte.

Once the Acolytes were cleared, they were ready to face the Knights. Kasey had encountered many before, and she hated them. They were so difficult to fight against, and precision shots were absolutely necessary to weaken them quickly. She also knew they should eliminate the Hallowed Knight last, as it would be easier to take it down with both of their firepower.

The two Knights came at them, more aggressive now that they didn't have backup, and the Hallowed Knight stayed behind, firing bullets at Kasey and Tatum.

Kasey equipped her fusion rifle, knowing it would be more effective than her pulse rifle. She hit the first Knight with a strong blast before quickly following up with a melee, and the Knight deployed its shield as it was already weakened drastically. Kasey knew this move, and she easily stepped around the shield, landing another melee before firing another fusion blast, and the Knight was quickly disintegrated.

Kasey glanced behind her and saw Tatum holding her own against the other Knight. The Warlock darted behind the various objects for cover to avoid taking too much damage, and when she emerged she would fire a round from her shotgun and hit the Knight with a melee. So, Kasey turned to the Hallowed Knight. She figured she would play this one more aggressive. She had her two grenades loaded and her Super was almost recharged by now, though she doubted she would need it again.

The Knight went at her with a melee, and Kasey shade-stepped the attack before landing her own melee with a harsh swipe of her Hunter knife. She got in a blast with her fusion rifle as well, and while it didn't drastically weaken the Hallowed Knight, it definitely stunned it.

Kasey saw a small flash on her radar, and it was blue, which meant another Guardian was near. Maybe they would lend some help. After all, nearly every experienced Guardian knew what a pain in the ass it was to fight against the Hive Knights. Kasey threw another melee, but the Knight fired from its Boomer right into her chest, dealing heavy damage, but nothing critical just yet. The other Guardian was nearing, and Kasey could see that he was a Titan. But instead of stopping to help either her or Tatum, or cutting through with a transmission saying why he couldn't, the Guardian just pushed his way past Kasey. And, he pushed her right toward the Knight again, and it landed another melee. Kasey was just a split second too slow jumping out of the way, and the Knight's sharp blade landed on her arm, cracking through her armor and cutting into her skin.

Kasey would have yelled out in pain, but her adrenaline was too high and her anger was boiling. "Brian…track him," she grumbled as she shade-stepped the Knight again before launching both her grenades at it. Her smoke grenade stuck to it, and soon it was engulfed in a cloud of toxic smoke. Kasey used her fusion rifle to fire blast after blast, and with the weakening toxin helping her, the Hallowed Knight fell in defeat after several more shots from her 77 Wizard.

The Hunter turned to find Tatum at the control center with Otto, the blue scans from the Ghost just finishing before his voice came through a transmission. "The Array is controlled by Rasputin. He won't let me in, but it's connecting to defense constructs all across the system: on Mars, the Moon, and Venus. It looks like there might be something out there to help us survive the Darkness this time."

"Kasey, what happened to your arm?" Tatum asked as she quickly noticed the deep red that was now dripping down Kasey's arm.

"Hallowed Knight fucked me over because some asshole Guardian used me as a fucking shield so he could pass by."

"Wait, are you serious? He just…didn't stop for you or anything?"

"No. He was headed toward where we come from down by the Terrestrial Complex. I'm going to find him now."

"Well I'm coming with you then."

"Fine."

Kasey started off toward the Guardian, sprinting the whole way as she followed Brian's directions. She didn't even bother having him repair her wound yet. While the bleeding had gradually lessened, she was feeling the effects of losing the amount of blood that she did. She was definitely a little lightheaded, so she knew she had to find this Guardian quickly.

They made their way back through the Terrestrial Complex and out into the clearing between it and the Lunar Complex. That's when she saw him. The Titan was making his way through the Fallen enemies that had returned to the area, so Kasey started walking toward his location, picking off the Fallen surrounding him. And before he knew what was happening, Kasey grabbed him by the shoulders of his chest armor and slammed him into the side of one of the buildings.

"What the hell is your problem?" she said, her voice low and threatening.

"Gonna beat me up or something? How noble of you. I'm sure the Vanguard wouldn't like to hear that," he responded, his voice flat and flippant, and Kasey instantly recognized his accent.

"It's not that hard to help out a fellow Guardian in battle, Naveed, no matter how much you might hate them," Kasey said, and when he tried to lunge at her with his own melee, Kasey easily evaded and rammed her heel right into the center of his chest, kicking him back against the wall hard.

"You were never a fellow Guardian to me," Naveed replied, balling his free hand into a fist.

"Ya know, I'll never figure out why you're so intimidated by me. All I did was try to help you while you were training with Arlo. I figured you'd learn how to be a decent Awoken, but clearly I was wrong. Even now, after two years of being on your own as a Guardian, you're still the same arrogant asshole you arrived as. Just because you have more Light than I do does not mean you deserve a good reputation. That has to be earned."

"And you clearly earned that? You're no less of an asshole than I am. You shut people out of your life and dismiss them without a second thought. And why? Just because your girlfriend wound up dead?"

Kasey clenched her teeth together as she tried to contain her ever growing rage. Arlo's prodigy was a strong Titan, no doubt, but his arrogance and narcissism never got him anywhere with other Guardians. And now…he hit a nerve with Kasey, and he had never truly seen her anger in full force, but if her continued…he was about to.

"You have no place bringing her up like that," Kasey said.

"Oh, big deal, nearly every Guardian has lost someone they love. You're not special," Naveed continued. He knew he was striking a chord with Kasey, and he lived for every moment of it. All the time he spent in the Tower he had constantly felt belittled and diminished by Kasey's reputation among other Guardians, especially the Vanguard. It was one of the reasons he took permanent residence in the Reef. He felt more accepted with other Awoken, and he could forge his own reputation there.

Kasey acted before Naveed even had a chance to _react_ , and within seconds she had him on his stomach, her knee pressed sharply into the back of his armor, her hands on the side of his head.

"Mention her one more time and I'll snap your neck," she said, her voice calm and even now.

Naveed would have provoked her further, but honestly, it wasn't a risk he was willing to take. He knew Kasey would probably do it, and, well, he was too young to die now. And even though he would never admit it, he was kind of afraid of the Hunter right now. He always knew she had a temper, but this was something different entirely.

After several moments of silence, Kasey let Naveed stand before she took a step away from him.

"If you ever speak about her like that in my presence again I swear I'll kill you."

"Then why didn't you?" he contested, smirking beneath his helmet, trying his best to come off as passive about the whole thing.

Kasey shrugged and gave him an obnoxious clap on the shoulder. "Because, like you implied earlier, I have a reputation to uphold. So I would think hard about how you respond right now. In fact, I think walking away would be the best thing for you to do."

Naveed simply gave an obnoxious salute to Kasey before he turned and sprinted off toward the Lunar Complex, the Hunter watching him go. She was tempted to shoot a couple rounds at him. She certainly _was_ that petty to do something like that, but she refrained from it.

"You wouldn't actually kill him, would you?" Tatum asked. She really didn't know what to make of the situation. Throughout her time spent with Kasey, while it had only been about a week, she only saw the Hunter as calm and easygoing despite some of her hard personality traits.

"I'm sure someday I will," came Kasey's response.

"Wait…you can't be serious."

"I'm dead serious, Tatum…literally. Naveed represents the very worst of the Awoken species and Titan class. Arlo trained him, and he tried his best to teach him how to be a kind, humble Guardian, but Naveed came here as a narcissist and he'll always be one," Kasey said.

"But what could he possibly hate you so much for? I mean…I know you're not the most welcoming person ever, but…you're a strong, intelligent Guardian."

"It doesn't matter. Because of his arrogance he always thinks he deserves more recognition and attention than everyone else. He'll put down rookie Guardians just to further his own success. He's bad news…please stay away from him."

Tatum nodded as they fell into a moment of silence, the Warlock studying Kasey's body language as Brian began scanning at her arm, stopping the bleeding and starting to repair her broken skin. Tatum was looking for any sign that the Hunter might further explain why Naveed's words had gotten her so heated. After several more moments, Tatum decided she would just go ahead and ask.

"Who was the girl-,"

"Not now," Kasey said, quickly cutting Tatum's question off. "All you need to know is that I lost someone, as many Guardians do… You should head back to the Tower and report to the Vanguard about the Array. Our connections with the other colonies has been on and off, so they'll be glad to hear we've reestablished it even stronger now."

Well, Tatum clearly noticed how fast Kasey changed the subject.

"What about you?"

"I'm gonna head to the Reef…run some casual Prison of Elders just to blow off steam," Kasey answered. "Good job today," she continued as she gave Tatum and small pat on the shoulder. "If you need help just ask Arlo. I'll be away for about a week with the travel time over to the Reef so, I'll see you around."

"Yeah, uh, have fun I guess," Tatum said with an awkward laugh as she didn't know what Prison of Elders was.

"Don't worry, when your Light is stronger I'll run some Prison with you," Kasey replied, and she gave Tatum a short little wave before the Warlock was scanned into her jumpship.

Kasey watched as Tatum took off, and it wasn't long before her ship was out of sight, cruising smoothly through the air back to the Tower. She liked what she had seen from the young Warlock today; Tatum was a strong fighter. A little reckless here and there, but with some fine-tuning of her skills she would become a fantastic Guardian.

It was now that Kasey realized she was lucky to have Tatum. The Warlock was motivated and humble, and she had a craving for more knowledge about her past and the history of the Traveler and everything that followed after its arrival to Earth. Tatum was certainly loyal to Kasey too. The Hunter could see how Tatum looked up to her and respected her. At this point, Kasey could consider Tatum a friend, and she only hoped she could be there for Tatum as timed passed, knowing the hardships and challenges that inevitably lie ahead of her.

Kasey knew she wasn't the most emotionally available person ever. She supposed she had been when she first arrived at the Tower, but spending five years fighting for both her own life and to protect the Last City and her fellow Guardians had quickly changed that. And then, losing the person she had allowed herself to fall in love with just a few years ago had officially taken its toll on Kasey's ability to open up to others. She hoped Tatum could give that ability back to her.

"Off to the Reef then?" Brian said, drawing Kasey out of her thoughts.

"Yeah. We should get going. It's almost a few days of travel to get there from Earth," Kasey answered. "I definitely want to get a few runs through Prison. Plus, I promised Holliday I wouldn't keep her waiting too long."

"I might not be able to genuinely feel the emotions you humans do, but even I don't understand why you don't just make it official with her," Brian said, his tone almost light and teasing in a way.

"I'm just-,"

"I know…you're still not ready after what happened with Tris. But, if I may speak about it briefly, Amanda isn't a Guardian. She's not going to be out there with the possibility of losing her life the way Tris did. It's clear how she feels about you. Maybe you should take that chance."

Kasey let Brian scan her into her ship before she spoke up again, a somewhat amused expression on her face. "Ya know, for a tiny, floating, mechanical being, you have some good advice."

"Only some?"

Kasey rolled her eyes as Brian put in the coordinates of the Reef, the ship taking off soon after, and it only took a minute for the ship to break Earth's orbit.

"I gave you a compliment, Brian, that's all that matters," Kasey said back. "But enough about my non-existent love-life with Holliday. It's time for some Prison of Elders."

* * *

 **A/N: so definitely a longer chapter here. I really wanted to walk through a mission with Kasey and Tatum, and there will certainly be more of that to come as the Kasey/Tatum friendship will start to develop more strongly throughout the next few chapters I have planned out. We'll also see the Kasey/Amanda relationship progress even more. I love writing those two as I always had my head canons about Amanda and thought this would be a good chance to put her in a relationship with one of my original characters, and I'll probably incorporate some flashbacks as we move forward with this story to show how their relationship developed.**

 **We also had a new character introduction, and he'll certainly play a bigger role as the story progresses.**

 **Leave your thoughts about the story so far!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **-lgbtdestiny**


	5. The Hunter and The Shipwright

Chapter 5

 **A/N: Short time jump in this chapter. I chose not to include any in-depth stuff with Kasey in Prison of Elders as it wouldn't serve any point to the plot/exposition right now, but maybe later in the story we'll see some of that fun action!**

 **I'm also referring to a Guardian's Light in terms of units. Given that the game has it as a "level," I don't see it as realistic to have the characters refer to it that way as, obviously, this is a universe I'm really trying to bring to life here. So, they will be "light units" in the story, which sort of makes sense when you think about it!**

 **Meanwhile, in this chapter we'll dive into Arlo's storyline a bit. And, we'll also have a more…intimate scene with Kasey and Amanda; it won't be like, insanely X-rated aha, but I'll mark it just in case you aren't into reading anything along those lines so you can skip it.**

 **Also, the mission Tatum did is loosely based off The Dark Beyond story quest, but we'll actually see that quest brought into the next chapter. Just wanted to shake things up a bit!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _"Strive for honor. Stand for hope."_

* * *

 _Seven days later_

During the time Kasey was away, Tatum took it upon herself to go out completely on her own. She knew Kasey said to ask Arlo for help, but she was just heading back to the Cosmodrome. She knew her way around pretty well by now, and she had figured she could handle it. After all, her task was just to dig deeper into the Lunar Complex and investigate how extensive the Hive infestation was.

It had proved to be a challenge though, as Tatum expected it to be now that she was going at something entirely alone. But she knew she needed to get experience in battle by herself. Kasey wouldn't be able to stay with her all the time, and the same went for Arlo. The Warlock knew things would only get harder down the road too, so she might as well get used to relying on her skill alone as soon as she could.

After she and Kasey had encountered that bunch of Hive on their mission together the previous week, the Speaker became concerned about the fact that there were Hive in the Cosmodrome to begin with. Tatum had learned that the Hive hadn't been on Earth in centuries, and, after the Collapse, the Guardians had given them the Moon in hopes that that would prevent any further attacks. So, the fact that the Hive had returned to Earth was certainly unsettling.

Tatum had encountered her first Hive Wizard during this mission as well. It was, quite honestly, the most disgusting thing she had ever seen. Kasey was definitely right when she said the Hive were nasty and scary. So, Tatum made sure to kill it as quickly as possible; she didn't want to look at that thing for any longer than she needed to.

Given that there was a Wizard accompanying the Hive Acolytes, it raised enough concern with the Speaker for him to believe that the Hive were, once again, raising an army beneath the Earth's surface. But, of course, further investigation was required to know anything for sure.

Tatum had gotten that mission done only a couple days after Kasey had left for the Reef. The Hunter was supposed to return early in the evening, so Tatum had done some exploring around the Tower during the few days she was on her own. She had visited all the vendors around the Tower, learning about what each of them sold for future reference. She had talked with Ikora about various Warlock lore and what being a Warlock truly meant. She enjoyed the time with Ikora; the Warlock Vanguard was kind and patient, and there was a sense of understanding with her that made it easy for Tatum to talk to her. Tatum had also visited the Tower's library, and, as she learned from Ikora, found out that Kasey often spent time there too…sometimes hours on end.

Now though, Tatum waited around the Hangar for Kasey to arrive. She couldn't help but feel a little clingy, but at the same time she thought it was probably normal for a less experienced Guardian to be happy about their mentor coming back. But, she definitely felt a little awkward just walking around the Hangar, so she made her way over to Amanda Holliday. She figured the shipwright would really be the first person Kasey went to after returning.

"'Sup, Tatum," Amanda said as she saw the Warlock approaching her. "What can I do for ya?"

Tatum shrugged and glanced over to the Hangar's open mouth, several ships landing, but none of them Kasey's yet. "Figured I'd hang around a bit until Kasey gets back," she answered. "And you're the only familiar face I know in the Hangar."

"Gotcha…missed her a little too then?" Holliday said back, shooting Tatum a somewhat teasing wink.

"I, uh…yes?" Tatum answered. She didn't know how to interpret Amanda's expression, so she really wasn't sure if the shipwright was trying to imply something. What would she be implying anyway? That Tatum liked Kasey? Well…of course she liked the Hunter. Despite not knowing much about her, Tatum considered Kasey a friend. But anything more than that…already? Never, Tatum thought.

* * *

Arlo was running some patrols for the Future War Cult in the Cosmodrome. He didn't need to do anything intense. Pick up materials from Fallen here and there or scan a certain area for more information. But today a Warsat had fallen and it needed to be transmitted. It didn't happen very often, but when it did, something like this attracted a few Guardians in the area to help out. And, of course, it attracted plenty of Fallen as well.

Arlo knew this was a good opportunity to gain more experience, pick up a few coded engrams, and maybe gain more Light. While he was certainly a strong, brave Guardian, he was only nearing three-hundred thirty units of Light. He wished he knew how the Traveler's Light worked, but the only thing he was sure of is that the more experience he gained in battle, the more Light the Traveler would reward him with.

The Titan deployed his Ghost over the Warsat so it could start transmitting it, and he turned around, gun aimed and ready for the Fallen that would surely come at him soon. On his radar, he could see another Guardian making their way toward him. That was good. While he was sure he could handle this by himself, having the help of another Guardian always made it easier.

A Fallen Skiff entered the area within the next minute, and several Dregs, Vandals, and Shanks dropped down from it. Arlo was able to pick off a few Dregs, and when they hit the ground, they were already dead. He used the Warsat as cover, forcing the Vandals to spread out. He took them one by one, firing an effective headshot from his scout rifle for each of them. The Shanks weren't really any competition for him. One bullet did the job. However, he knew that if they were left alone in high numbers they could deal heavy damage with their rifles.

The Guardian on Arlo's radar neared, and soon he saw her enter his line of vision. She was a Hunter, and she jumped into the proximity of the Warsat just as another Fallen Skiff came into view.

"Hope you don't mind me helping?" she said, and by her slight accent, Arlo could tell she was Awoken.

"Not at all. It's nice to know someone's got your back every now and then," he answered as they turned their attention to the Skiff.

She had the same idea as he did, picking off the Dregs as they jumped down from the Skiff. Except with this wave of Fallen, a Servitor was included. Arlo always hated those things; they were so annoying to him for some reason. While the Hunter began firing at the Vandals, throwing her grenade at one point, Arlo got his fusion rifle and focused on the Servitor. He took light damage from the few Shanks around him, but with a few blasts from his fusion rifle, the Servitor was sent spiraling into an explosion.

He shot down the Shanks as well, and the other Guardian took down the last Vandal with a swift melee with her Hunter's knife.

"Nice work," he commented as they waited for another sure wave of Fallen. "I'm Arlo, by the way."

"Amina," the Hunter replied. "Never fought next to a Titan before. You're bearable, though."

Arlo smiled under his helmet even though he knew Amina couldn't see it. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"All the Titans I've ever encountered so far have always been so…aggressive. It's like…relax, stop punching everything for a moment, and maybe use some well-crafted battle tactics?"

Arlo couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him as yet another Skiff came into view. His Ghost was almost done though, so he figured this would be the last one.

"I know what you mean, actually," he answered. "Don't worry…I'm not a Striker. I used to be, but I've taken on the role of a Defender now. It suits me more."

A couple Captains dropped from the Skiff along with several Vandals and Shanks, and the Captains began firing at them the moment they hit the ground. Arlo took out a couple Shanks as he kept moving, using the Warsat as temporary cover again.

Amina also shot down a couple Vandals before taking damage from one of the Captains. She had only broken two-hundred units of Light a couple days ago, so she knew she had to be careful around the Captains as she knew she could still only take so much heavy damage from them.

Arlo equipped his fusion rifle, and he broke through the Captain's shield with one blast, and he stunned the Captain with his melee. During that brief moment, he was able to fire another blast, effectively killing the Captain.

Behind him, he heard a Shank hit the ground as Amina began to battle with the remaining Captain. Arlo could see that she was taking a decent amount of damage from the Captain, so he helped her out by firing the last of his mag loaded into his fusion rifle, and he weakened the Captain enough so that when Amina landed a swift melee attack, the Captain fell to the ground.

"Thanks," she said, turning to the Titan.

"No problem. You backed me up a few times. Figured it would make sense to return the favor," he replied as his Ghost finished transmitting the Warsat.

"This might sound very upfront, but would you mind accompanying me on my patrol?" Amina asked. "I mean, you don't have to…if you have somewhere else to be. I just thought that-,"

"Absolutely," Arlo answered, smiling softly even though he knew she couldn't see it. "I was patrolling this area too when that Warsat dropped. I'd be happy to continue with you."

Arlo couldn't help his caution when it came to Awoken. After Naveed, he developed a slight dislike of the race – not nearly as strong as Kasey's; the Hunter never fought next to an Awoken anymore - but it was enough to keep him wary. But there was something different about Amina. Yes, she was certainly straightforward like nearly all Awoken he had encountered in the past, but she seemed more open-minded. Maybe it was because she was the one who had asked for his help with continuing her patrol? Usually whenever Arlo offered, it was an Awoken Guardian that always turned him down.

And, fighting side by side with Amina was something that already felt natural to Arlo, and it was something he was happy to continue.

* * *

It was just past six in the evening when Kasey got back from the Reef. Once her ship was docked in the Hangar and she knew it was being handled well by the other shipwrights, she walked up to the Hangar's main level, and she couldn't help the small smile that graced her lips for just a few seconds when she saw Amanda in her usual spot. She quickly noticed Tatum next to the blonde, and she gave the Warlock a slight nod as she approached them.

"Hey, Guardian," Amanda said somewhat teasingly. "Your prodigy here was telling me all the depressing details of her last mission. I'm sure you'll love to hear them."

"Well nearly every mission we do out there is depressing and horrifying in one way or another so whatever it is, I'll manage," Kasey replied as she hopped onto the table next to Amanda.

"Ah, ah," the shipwright got out, and she pushed the Hunter right off the table. "I'm still on duty, so no small talk."

Kasey made her typical 'are-you-kidding-me' face as she looked over at Tatum. "Can you believe this? I'm gone for a week and this is what I come back to?"

"Oh no…I'm not getting involved in your relationship issues," Tatum said, holding her hands up in mock defense.

"Wait, you told her?" Amanda asked. "You're an asshole." And yet, there was still a joking tone to the blonde's voice.

Kasey rolled her eyes as she just sat on the table next to Amanda again. "Well, Holliday, she was there when Cayde figured out that we fu- hey…ow!" the Hunter exclaimed as the shipwright flicked her in the back of the head before pushing her off the table again.

"It wasn't even that," Tatum said. "Sure, that only confirmed it, but the way you two look at each other gives it away. Cut back on the eye sex a little, will ya?"

"And on that note…we'll be leaving." Kasey patted Tatum on the shoulder, her way of letting the Warlock know to follow her. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you at some point tonight," the Hunter added, giving Amanda a small nudge with her elbow before walking away with Tatum.

Once the Guardians entered the small walkway leading to the Tower Plaza, Kasey spoke up. "So, uh, what happened on your mission that was so 'depressing'?" she asked, using air quotes around the word as that was what Amanda had used.

"Well…after we hit that group of Hive Acolytes, I went back to the Cosmodrome to investigate it further, and there was a Wizard there when I returned," Tatum answered.

"Shit. That's not good. It means the Hive are back on Earth. Who did you tell so far?"

"Just the Speaker. He was the one I ran the mission for after all."

"You should tell the Vanguard too," Kasey said. "Come on. You can see Ikora now," she added with a small nod over to the steps leading down to the Hall of Guardians.

Tatum walked with the Hunter to the Vanguard's table, both Cayde and Ikora looking up once they saw their respective Guardians approaching them. Kasey gave Tatum a small nudge toward the Warlock Vanguard before she went over to Cayde.

"Guardian," Ikora said in greeting, bowing her head slightly to acknowledge the young Warlock. "What can I do for you today?"

"Well…I went out to the Cosmodrome again a few days ago since the Speaker wants us to investigate deeper into it."

"Hm, and why's that?"

"Kasey and I encountered Hive the last time we were there," Tatum answered. "So…I went back and…there was a Wizard there this time around."

Ikora's eyebrows rose slightly at the news before she nodded. "I see. Well, it's definitely a sign that the Hive could be trying to breed an army down there, but I don't think it's anything to worry about just yet. It would be worth it to pay a visit to the Moon to see if you can find anything more from their archives, but as long as none of their higher leaders come to Earth, we'll be able to handle them. But good work. Thank you for telling me."

Tatum smiled a bit, and when she turned to steal a glance at Kasey, who was engrossed in some animated conversation with Cayde, Ikora spoke up again.

"How are things going with that one?" the Vanguard asked, one eyebrow raised.

Tatum turned her attention back to Ikora, and the smile on her lips persisted. "It's been really good. I still don't understand why she is…the way she is, but we get along well. She's only been good and helpful to me."

"I'm glad to hear that. Sometimes the more experienced Guardians can be…impatient with you rookies. I wouldn't say the same for Kasey, but she's a tough one to figure out."

"You seem like you know her pretty well though," Tatum said. "How? If you don't mind me asking. I mean, she is a Hunter, so it would seem like you wouldn't talk to her as much."

"You'll find that Kasey embodies a few staples of each Guardian class. Warlocks have a thirst for knowledge, no matter what the area of interest might be. Kasey is like that. I found her in the library one day after her Ghost first brought her here. Usually, the only thing new Guardians want to do is get out there and fight, but she wanted to know more about where she came from. You know, questions about the Golden Age and Collapse. All that good stuff. I suppose we just bonded over our interest in the lore of our past. I consider her a close comrade now."

"I definitely want to know more about the past too," Tatum said with a small nod. "I guess I just figured I would find it out along the way?"

"As you should, but there are some questions you might never be able to answer."

"Well that…makes me feel good," Tatum replied, sarcasm laced in her voice.

"You are young, as was Kasey when she arrived here. Sometimes, it's okay not knowing."

Ikora dismissed Tatum when she saw Kasey part ways with Cayde as well. Considering she knew Kasey was only running through Prison of Elders throughout the last week, she could only guess the Hunter Vanguard was giving Kasey crap about something. Those two loved pushing each other's nerves in playful banter, and Ikora certainly admired the close friendship between the two.

Kasey gave a small salute to Ikora as she passed the Warlock Vanguard, and Ikora couldn't help but smile softly as she shook her head. Ikora certainly had a hard surface to crack, but every now and then a Guardian like Kasey – and Tatum, for that matter – would come along and that would change whenever she was around them.

"How did sharing the depressing news about the Hive go?" Kasey asked as they walked up to the Tower Plaza.

"Fine, actually. She said there wasn't anything to worry about unless one of their higher leaders showed up. What is that, anyway?"

"A higher leader?" Kasey repeated, and Tatum nodded. "Basically, they're what the Hive consider Gods. Crota, the Son of Oryx, being the most notable. There's also Omnigul…she's scary as hell. There are others, but, as Ikora said, you don't have to worry about them right now. Nearly all of them are on the Dreadnaught, and you're not even close to being experienced enough to handle that."

"Gotcha, so, what would they be like, should I-,"

"Hey," Kasey interrupted, placing her hands on Tatum's shoulders, looking down into the Warlock's light grey eyes, an amused expression on her face. "You're not gonna meet any of them any time soon. Omnigul shows up on Earth every now and then, but you don't have anything to worry about right now. Besides, whenever you do catch up with one of them, I'll be fighting with ya. No way I'd ever let you go at that alone."

Tatum felt her heart beat faster at Kasey's last statement. She didn't know why the Hunter had this effect on her. It was kind of confusing for Tatum. Kasey always remained somewhat distant from her, but then there was a moment like this when it almost seemed as if Kasey was talking from a personal level, and Tatum just didn't know how to process her feelings about it.

"I'll see you tomorrow though," Kasey continued, taking a step back from Tatum. "But, uh, maybe we can head out somewhere. I'm sure you have another mission or something to follow up with."

"Kasey, it's only seven, why the rush? Got a hot date or something?" Tatum teased.

The Hunter scratched the back of her head, avoiding eye contact with Tatum. "Uh…no?"

"Didn't sound very convincing."

"Okay, well, uh, anyways…I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure, Kasey. Have a good night," Tatum replied, giving the Hunter a teasing wink, which just elicited an eye roll from Kasey before they parted ways.

Tatum headed to the Tower Lift, and she paused before she hit the button that would take her down to the floor of her living quarters. She thought about what Ikora had told her, about how Kasey would spend time in the library. She nodded as she pressed the button down to the library, her own questions surfacing again on her way down.

* * *

It was nearly nine, and Kasey was lying on her bed in her usual outfit of black sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt, reading a book about how the Ghosts stored the memories of their Guardians. She had borrowed the book from the library a couple weeks ago, and she had been so busy with Tatum that she had forgotten to finish it. She was sure she had read nearly every book in the library about this, yet she managed to keep finding new ones.

There was no way all Brian could have known about her was her first name and how long she had been dead when he found her. Yes, it was normal for a Guardian to not have a last name upon first waking, but a Human or Awoken Guardian usually figured it out within the first few months as a Guardian. It was just something their Ghost found through its constant analyzing of files and records. Kasey knew it was impossible for Brian to not have figured out something about her past from all that they had been through. Hell, some Guardians even found out who their family was. And, some even _had_ family living in the Last City; people who were woken by a Ghost, but becoming a Guardian was just not meant to be.

Kasey liked to imagine finding out who her parents were. Whether they were still alive or killed long ago in the Collapse like she was, or, maybe they were Guardians too, woken before her and who had died in battle long ago. She wished she could know.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at her door, and she walked toward it as she nodded to Brian that it was okay to open it.

"Hey Guardian."

"Ya know, I always hate it when you call me that," Kasey said as she let Amanda into her living quarters.

"Just like I don't like it when you call me Holliday all the time."

"It's to keep things professional when we're in public."

"Kasey, there is nothing professional about our relationship and you know it," Amanda replied with a small grin before softly brushing her fingers over the fairly long cut above Kasey's left eye. "Injury from Prison, I'm assuming?"

"Yeah, we're bound to get injured at some point during that no matter how hard we try…figured you would have noticed earlier."

"I did, just didn't want it to seem like I cared too much, because, like you said, we have to keep things professional." She gave the Hunter a playful wink before she picked up the book on Kasey's bed. "Another one?"

"What can I say…" Kasey trailed off as she shrugged and took the book from Amanda, sitting on the edge of her bed and flipping to the page she had stopped on.

"Haven't you read like, every book in the library by now?"

"Okay, that's an exaggeration. That would take lifetimes," Kasey said, but she couldn't help the soft smile that graced her lips.

"Well excuse me for admiring your intelligence," Amanda replied, and Kasey couldn't tell if she was teasing or flirting. "But you've had to have read well over a hundred by now."

"That…is not an exaggeration. I can't help it. I feel so stuck, like I'll just be one of those Guardians left without a past. No one will know where I came from or even have the faintest clue what I was like in my previous life, and-,"

"It's rare that a Guardian has that privilege," Amanda cut in. "You know this. Barely any Guardian knows what their past life was like. The most any Guardian usually gets are bits and pieces of who they were, but the most important thing is the legacy you're creating for yourself right now. And, it's a pretty good one."

The grin that Amanda gave Kasey this time was different. It was a little lopsided and goofy and it was the sort of look that said "I love you," and dammit if Kasey wasn't so stubborn she would admit to herself that she had fallen in love with that look too. But that was the thing about being a Hunter: they were naturally stubborn, so of course Kasey wouldn't admit it. But, Kasey was also stubborn in a way that she would make _Amanda_ admit it.

"Really…how has it been good?" she asked, leaning into Amanda a bit, giving the blonde a small nudge with her shoulder.

"Well, um…you've just become one of the strongest, bravest, smartest, and noblest Guardians in the Tower. People know you as someone who is honest, trustworthy, and intelligent. People respect you and look up to you. The people in the City, and even other Guardians, hold you in the highest regard as what a true Guardian stands for."

"And…?"

Amanda rolled her eyes and rested her head on Kasey's shoulder, breathing out softly. "You're really gonna make me say it, aren't you?" She took Kasey's silence as a yes. "And…you managed, somehow, to get me to fall in love with you."

"Thank you," Kasey said, kissing the top of Amanda's head.

"Why do you like making me say it so much if I know I'll never hear it back from you?" Amanda asked, lifting her head to look Kasey in the eyes. She could see the worry in Kasey's dark brown eyes. Eyes that held the terrors of battle. Eyes that held the witnessing of events so painful and dark that one could only hope that, if they shut their eyes tight enough, those events could just disappear from their memory.

"I guess I…just like to know I haven't lost you yet," Kasey answered, her voice barely above a whisper. It was a time like this that Kasey wished she could just spill her feelings and tell Amanda how much she loved her. But Kasey knew how that could end in a universe like this. She was too scared right now to take that risk again…just too scared.

Amanda shook her head, a small, somewhat sad smile on her lips. "I can't believe you're getting soft with me, but you don't have to worry about losing me. I am…beyond in love with you at this point, and as long as I have you around so I can get on your nerves…"

Kasey let a light laugh escape her, and within the next moment Amanda had their lips pressed together in a soft kiss. It was a feeling Kasey loved, and each time it always seemed to feel like their first. And yet, Kasey pulled away with one eyebrow raised, a small grin growing on her face.

"Don't you dare say it," Amanda said.

Kasey shook her head and held up her hands in defense. "I…totally wasn't going to say anything. I don't know what you could be referring to."

 _ ***Sexy-times so skip if ya don't like it***_

Amanda just rolled her eyes before she pulled Kasey to her, their lips meeting again, this time with more heat behind it. It wasn't rushed though. In fact, none of their nights spent together were. They were slow, passionate, with each other, and only a handful of nights turned into something rough.

Amanda's shirt was the first thing to go, and then Kasey's, both articles of clothing carelessly thrown onto the floor. She wrapped her arms around Kasey's shoulders, pulling the Hunter on top of her as she fell back onto the bed. She knew Kasey always liked to be the one in charge of things – how fast or slow they took things, how rough or gentle they were with each other – and she was more than willing to give that to Kasey. In a universe where the Hunter never knew what lied ahead of her or whether one day could be her last, Amanda knew it was comforting to Kasey to know she had a sense of control whenever they were together like this.

Kasey moved her lips to Amanda's neck, eliciting a soft gasp of pleasure from the blonde, and as she began to unbutton Amanda's pants, she remembered all the times they had said they should stop seeing each other and take a break from…whatever this was. But they couldn't stop. They were too tempting, too intoxicating to each other.

To Amanda, there was just something about the way Kasey kissed her that left her wanting another one. There was something about the way Kasey touched her that first time, and now the Hunter knew exactly where to place her hands, where to run her fingers on the blonde to get the exact reaction she wanted.

And then there was something about the sex, something about the feeling of Kasey inside her, bringing her to release, that drove Amanda crazy and left her falling more in love with the Hunter each time.

Some nights Kasey would be frustrated or angry out of her mind for one reason or another, and that was when their sex was rough, primal even, as if all Kasey wanted to do was fuck her anger away. And Amanda was so in love with Kasey she would always willingly let the Hunter do whatever she wanted to her on those nights.

But then there were nights like this, when both of them were calm, and neither of them rushed anything. These were the nights Kasey was so gentle and passionate that Amanda could convince herself they were making love.

At first they had tried to convince themselves they were just friends with benefits, but very quickly, they knew that wasn't true. They were too passionate with each other to be just that. There was a deeper connection between them, and while Amanda wasn't afraid to affirm her feelings…Kasey was.

Even though Amanda's thoughts drifted to how she and Kasey had started this whole relationship, she was snapped right back to the present moment when she felt Kasey's fingers push inside her, sweat already on their skin as their bodies pressed close against one another. The Hunter kissed her hard, swallowing the moans that escaped Amanda each time Kasey entered her. While it was no secret to the other Guardians who lived on Kasey's floor that they were involved, they still had the decency to not be too loud.

But it was a night like this, when they could just _be_ with each other, that they had no reason to be loud.

Kasey brought Amanda to her release slowly, making sure the blonde felt it every time she pushed her fingers back inside her. And Amanda came with a sharp gasp as she bit into the Hunter's shoulder to muffle her moans of pleasure. Kasey pressed their lips together in a firm kiss, leaving Amanda breathless as she fell back onto the bed next to the blonde.

 _ ***end of sexy-times***_

"So I take it I'm not cut-off as of now?" was the first thing Kasey said, and she got an exasperated groan in response.

"You're insatiable."

"Well you clearly never complain."

"Yeah, well…with sex like that, how could I?" Amanda responded, her voice dripping with playful sarcasm.

"Fuck off," Kasey mumbled back.

"Really? Because that's definitely not what you just did to me."

"Ha-ha, who's the insatiable one now?"

"Asshole."

"Butthead," came Kasey's response.

"Go to sleep…please, for the sake of my sanity."

"Yeah right, that's something that's been long gone. I drove you crazy from the moment we met," Kasey said, and Amanda couldn't argue with that.

And, Amanda thought, it was definitely nights like these when she found herself falling in love with Kasey all over again.

* * *

 **A/N: aw, some cute Kasey/Amanda to wrap up this chapter…we'll find out more about how their relationship started in the next chapter. I swear I need to find a good ship name for these two…Kamanda maybe? Let me know what you think lol.**

 **We'll see more action next chapter as well, as I have another mission for Tatum and Kasey and it will follow the story quests of "The Dark Beyond" and "The World's Grave."**

 **Leave your thoughts about the story in a review/comment; I'd love to hear what you think about it so far! Enjoy!**

 **\- lgbtdestiny**


	6. Shit's Getting Real

Chapter 6

 **A/N: For AO3 viewers there's a pic of Kasey's tattoo for ya directly on this page. For or Wattpad and viewers, here's the link: imgur. com** ** **/gallery/XIT3v** (just copy and paste); the only thing is that it's on her back and not arm, but I think it's a very fitting tattoo for her, and I've thought of several more tattoos for her that will be explained later as well. **

**Again, the mission in this chapter follows The Dark Beyond. Enjoy!**

* * *

" _We once looked to the Moon and saw hope. Now we see only the power of the Darkness."_

Amanda found herself awake just after seven in the morning. She had always been an early riser ever since she came to the Tower; it was just a habit now that she was used to the long days in the Hangar. And, as usual, Kasey was still asleep. Unless the Hunter wanted to get an early start on travelling between planets, Amanda didn't think Kasey ever got up earlier than eight-thirty. It made sense though. After all, Kasey was a constant subject to intense physical and emotional activity every single day outside the City walls, and as tough as the Hunter was, she wasn't immune to fatigue every now and then.

So, as it had been many mornings before, Amanda absentmindedly traced her fingers along the tattoo of the solar system that stretched all the way down Kasey's back. It was simple, colorful, a minimalist outline of the sun and planets, and, along with everything else about Kasey, it was beautiful. Amanda remembered Kasey telling her that it was a constant reminder of the wonder and unanswered questions they still had about the space around them. She had said that it kept things in perspective: that she was just one Guardian who could only do so much in this endless universe.

A small 'hmph' came from the Hunter, and it was followed by a muffled "morning" before Kasey turned on her side, letting Amanda's hand rest on her waist.

"Were you up this whole time?" Amanda asked.

"That will remain a mystery to you," Kasey answered, her voice still scratchy from sleep. The Hunter fell silent as she looked back at Amanda, and she found herself captivated by the blonde's deep green eyes.

"What?" Amanda got out quietly, trying to figure out the soft yet somewhat concentrated look on Kasey's face.

"You…are breathtaking," the Hunter said as she ran her fingers through Amanda's short hair, managing to push some of the longer strands out of the shipwright's face.

"I think this is starting to be about more than just the sex," Amanda said back, forcing out a laugh as she tried to keep her feelings in check, but she knew it was useless to try at this point.

"Maybe, maybe not," Kasey answered as she sat up, brushing her hair out with her fingers and taking a few moments to wake herself up some more. "I'll have to get back to you on that," she added before she got out of bed to get dressed.

She threw on her usual black leggings and white tank-top. She waved Brian off when he brought her armor to her. She wasn't ready to be locked into her armor just yet as she figured since she was traveling to the Moon with Tatum, there was a good chance she could be out there for a couple of days…longer with the travel time.

"At this point, there's no rush for you to come to a conclusion about that," Amanda said back, letting out a small huff as she put on her own clothes.

Kasey turned to Amanda, a softer expression on her face now. She definitely admired the shipwright; Amanda was intelligent, strong-willed, and beautiful. After Kasey had lost Tris in battle, Amanda was really the only person she could talk to about it. Arlo couldn't really understand how she felt simply because he had never experienced something like that, and while Cayde certainly knew what that kind of loss felt like, he never had the time to adequately support Kasey through that emotional trauma. Aside from that, Kasey didn't want to take Cayde away from his job with the Vanguard. And while the Exo Hunter was always looking for something to get him away from that table even for just a few moments, Kasey still didn't want to divert his attention from his duty to the rest of the Guardians and to the Vanguard.

The Hunter really didn't know what exactly led her relationship to escalate to what it was now with Amanda. She knew their friendship just developed throughout her first couple years as a Guardian through casual small talk in the Hangar and playful banter every now and then.

Back then, when she arrived at the Tower, Kasey was only seventeen. She was a carefree, optimistic teenager, but she was still witty and stubborn, as was characteristic of a Hunter. Kasey guessed that's why she managed to get along so well with Cayde and Amanda so quickly. It seemed that there were a lot of people in the Tower, and Guardians too, who were a little too serious all the time. So, to meet those select few who were able to have a sense of humor at times and appreciate the good moments was refreshing to Kasey. And, Kasey knew, that's why she fell for Tris the moment she met her.

After she lost Tris though, both Cayde and Amanda instantly noticed the change in Kasey. While the Hunter had certainly been hardened by battle over her first few years as a Guardian, she still retained her usual sarcastic and witty personality. But once Tris was gone, that seemed to vanish. Kasey had moved from being alone in battle by choice – which was normal for a Hunter, especially for a Nightstalker – to being lonely because she refused to open herself up to anyone after that loss.

And that was when something had shifted in Kasey's relationship with Amanda.

"What's on your mind?"

Amanda's voice drew Kasey out of her thoughts. She rarely spaced out like that, but sometimes, in these quiet, calm moments with the blonde, Kasey found all those buried thoughts and feelings for Amanda surfacing and there was no way to avoid them.

"We could be here a while," Kasey said. "Maybe when I get back from these missions with Tatum I can…talk…"

"Hm, like that doesn't make me nervous," Amanda answered, sarcasm laced through her tone. "But uh, where are you two headed to this time?"

"The Moon. There was a Guardian that just sort of…disappeared around the Temple of Crota and-,"

"Temple of Crota?" Amanda raised an eyebrow, and Kasey could tell by her knowing expression she was silently asking if the Hunter was okay with going back to that place. Anything involving Crota's name was enough to send Kasey back to those horrible memories.

"It's fine…at least it's not the Hellmouth or, uh…anywhere near-,"

Amanda silenced Kasey with a soft kiss. She could already hear the troubled tone of Kasey's voice, and she knew the last thing Kasey needed was to be reminded of the Raid that had taken Tris' life just hours before she went back there for the first time in…Amanda didn't even know how long it had been. But Kasey had avoided going to the Moon too often for a solid year and a half by now. And, even though Kasey had been dedicating some time now to getting a fireteam together to prepare to face Crota again, she was still dedicating more of her time spent in battle literally anywhere else except the Moon. She would find any excuse not to go there anymore.

"Hey," Amanda started softly, "you're the strongest person I know. You'll be fine. Just…focus on the fact that you're there for Tatum."

Kasey nodded and let a soft smile come to her lips. She knew she didn't deserve someone like Amanda. After everything she had put the shipwright through, Kasey didn't know why Amanda had stayed with her all this time. Kasey knew she couldn't run from her feelings for Amanda forever. But oh, how she would try.

* * *

Ikora was browsing through the library before she would head to the Hall of Guardians to officially start the day. While she had certainly read hundreds of books by now, she knew there were hundreds more. She specifically loved the historical books; not just about the Golden Age and the times before it, she also loved reading about how the Guardians developed their skills, weapons, and how they learned to cope with the dark forces surrounding them.

The library wasn't all that busy, especially around nine in the morning, so Ikora wasn't expecting to find Tatum engrossed in a book of her own.

"Taking after Kasey already?" the Warlock Vanguard asked.

Tatum flinched slightly by the sudden voice. It had been dead silent for the last hour she had been reading, so Ikora had definitely startled her a little bit.

"I guess you could say that," Tatum replied with a light smile. "My conversations with her stir up my own questions sometimes…guess I wanted to see if I could find some answers."

"What are you looking for?"

"Just the basic stuff right now…learning more about each Guardian class, their abilities, and important pioneering groups that led the way when the fight against the Darkness all started."

Ikora nodded, and she allowed a soft grin to place itself on her lips. She was glad that Tatum was already reading into the history of the Guardians. It was important to start early, as the Warlock knew Tatum's questions would only grow more complicated and that more often than not, there wouldn't even be an answer to those questions.

"You should take some back to your living quarters," Ikora said. "That's what Kasey does. She also reads during travel…that girl is always buried in a book whenever she's not fighting. I'm assuming you two are heading out again today?"

Tatum nodded as she marked her page in the book. "Yeah…finally breaking away from the Cosmodrome for a little. We're going to the Moon. Something about the Temple of Crota."

The two Warlocks walked together to the Tower Lift in silence, and then Ikora spoke as the Lift started its way up to the Plaza level.

"The only thing we've been doing on the Moon for a while now is patrolling the area, eliminating Fallen threats, and scanning the archives there. But the Hive threat must be returning if we're sending Guardians out there on genuine missions now."

"Did they just back off at some point?" Tatum asked.

"That's probably the best way to put it," Ikora answered. "The Hive are the darkest enemies we know, and they will do anything to make sure the Light is snuffed out for good. They were planning to attack Earth, but we managed to avoid that by simply giving up the Moon to them."

"How did you pull that off? I mean…negotiating with an alien race as dark as the Hive…"

"This happened long before I arrived here," Ikora said. "While I wouldn't say we necessarily negotiated with them, we're grateful it worked, and let's hope we can keep it that way. We are still recovering from attacks by the Fallen. The last thing we need is another invasion on the City."

The Lift opened at the back of the Hall of Guardians, and Tatum continued to accompany Ikora as the older Warlock went to her usual spot at the Vanguard table.

"Yeah…the Cosmodrome is still a mess," Tatum replied. "I guess there's nothing we can really do about that except manage the Fallen out there."

Ikora nodded in agreement. "We've done a good job of it. The Hive, though, continue to be one of our biggest threats. We can afford to divert more attention to them since we have a good grasp on the Fallen here. Make sure you report back about what you find on the Moon. Us here at the Vanguard and the Speaker are eager to know what we're up against."

"I will," Tatum said, and she gave Ikora a small nod before she walked out of the Hall of Guardians.

Out on the Tower Plaza, Guardians buzzed around as usual. Whether they were visiting vendors or just socializing with each other, there was a constant hustle and bustle up here that Tatum rather enjoyed. It was nice to see so much life around her when only darkness waited beyond the City walls.

The air was cool and crisp as the transition into autumn began, and Tatum took the time to enjoy the clear skies as she waited for Kasey. The Traveler was suspended above the City, and Tatum leaned against the Tower railings as she gazed out to it. She wondered if Kasey's skepticism about how the Traveler communicated with the Speaker had any merit. As far as Tatum knew so far, she hadn't encountered any other Guardians or anyone within the Tower for that matter who doubted the legitimacy of the Traveler and Speaker.

"Nice day, yeah?"

Tatum smiled softly as she glanced over to Kasey, who was now leaning against the railing next to her.

"It is," the Warlock answered. "Just taking in the fresh air before we venture out."

"It certainly is better than being stuck with smelly, terrifying Hive."

Tatum let out a short laugh. It's not that she necessarily found what Kasey had said to be funny; it was just Kasey's mannerism. It always left Tatum wondering just how serious the Hunter was being, and she never quite knew how to respond to it.

"Wanna head out?" Kasey asked. "Takes about a day and a half to get there. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make this visit as short as possible."

"With how much you seem to hate the Hive I'll just agree with you on that," Tatum said, and the two began walking over to the Hangar.

"I hate all the alien races out there," Kasey started as they approached the hallway leading to the Hangar. "But the Hive take my number one spot. I think they're truly the evilest force out there. The Fallen…they do what they need to survive. They're a dying race, and they scavenge for whatever they can, and I respect their resolve and drive. The Cabal…definitely crazy and evil, but they're a war force and their only goal is to conquer every planet they land on no matter what species is there. I respect their battle tactics.

"The Vex just kind of arrived, which makes sense, since they can time travel. We really don't know what their end goal is, but they seem to like pulling archives from any planet they go to. The Taken are a pretty new threat, and we're trying to deal with them. We're assuming Oryx's goal is to completely eradicate all alien races – including Guardians – and rule the universe, and he's corrupting other enemies into serving him. In all honesty, that's a pretty creative war mechanism."

"And the Hive?" Tatum asked.

Kasey nodded to Holliday, and the shipwright had their jumpships brought up within moments. But by the Hunter's continued silence, Tatum could tell the Hive stuck a chord with her. In fact, Kasey didn't speak until their ships had taken off and broken through Earth's atmosphere.

"There's a lot to them," Kasey said over their Ghosts' communication link. "You'll find out once we're on the Moon."

* * *

"Guessing you're not one for small talk?" Tatum asked through her transmission with Kasey. They were only about eight hours into their trip to the Moon. Tatum had gotten a few hours of rest at first, but she woke up with a mix of excitement and nervousness about traveling to a new frontier. Along with that, she simply became bored with nothing to do. She regretted not bringing a book with her now.

"Used to be," was Kasey's response, and Tatum could only wonder what that meant.

"Well…I am," Tatum said back. "And I have nothing to do so…I figured it wouldn't hurt to talk to you for a little bit."

"Actually, it does hurt. I'm in immense pain right now from this."

Tatum rolled her eyes at Kasey's witty reply, the sarcasm and hint of playfulness clear in the Hunter's tone.

"Well uh…what are you doing to pass the time?" Tatum asked.

"Reading a book."

"Ah. Ikora mentioned you do that during travel a lot."

"I'm starting to wonder how much Ikora has told you about me," Kasey said.

"Don't worry, she hasn't told me anything personal, if that's what you were getting at."

"Good. I like to remain dark and mysterious."

"Well I think you've certainly accomplished that. At least… _I_ think you're dark and mysterious…and broody, and sarcastic, and funny…" Tatum trailed off, realizing that she was starting to ramble a little bit, and she was glad they were in separate ships so Kasey couldn't see the deep blush on her cheeks. Tatum noticed Otto staring at her, his glowing center narrowed a bit. 'What?' she mouthed to him.

Otto disconnected their transmission for a moment. "Please tell me you don't like her," he said.

"What do you mean? Of course I like her. She might not be the warmest person out there, but she's growing on me."

"Oh, I'm sure she is," he replied before turning their transmission back on.

"Hey," Kasey said. "You cut out there for a minute."

"Yeah…Otto was giving me shit."

Tatum could hear was sounded like a muffled laugh come from Kasey's transmission before the Hunter spoke up again.

"I can say the same about Brian. He never lets me off about Holliday."

"Aw…I totally understand that. You two are so cute together it's almost impossible not to-,"

"How many times do I have to say that Holliday and I aren't together like…that," Kasey cut off, and this time, it was Brian that came through loud and clear over the transmission.

"Kasey, neither of you see anyone else. We both know that if you weren't in a committed relationship you would have slept your way through the entire female population of the Tower by now."

"Brian, that is simply incorrect. I was never-,"

"Need I remind you of your first year in the Tower?"

There was a long silence that followed, and Tatum tried to hold in her laughter.

"You've made your point," Kasey grumbled, her defeat on the topic of conversation not easily admitted. "Now please…can we not talk about my relationship status?"

"Fine. What book are you reading?" Tatum asked.

"Still the one about more history of the Ghosts."

"Kasey is desperate to find out about her past," Brian chipped in. "It's understandable. Most Guardians, by now, at least, have some connections to their past life: who their parents were, things about other family members, and even glimpses into their personalities and interests when they were last alive. Some were alive in the Golden Age, and some were born and died during the Collapse."

"It's a gift to be given a second chance like this," Kasey continued. "It only makes sense to want to know what could have led to being chosen by the Traveler, to know why I could carry its Light."

"Do you know when you were born at least?" Tatum asked.

"Yeah…twenty-five fifteen," Kasey answered. "I died in twenty-five thirty-two. I've was dead for two hundred twenty-eight years. I'm old as shit."

"I was dead for two hundred twenty-four years, Kasey…I'm pretty old too. But…you were alive in the Golden Age. That's awesome!"

"So were you. We were alive toward the end of the Golden Age," Kasey said. "But it's all the more reason why I want to know about my past."

"I will admit, it's very strange that we haven't found anything yet," Brian said. "You know I always try whenever I'm hacking databases across planets or looking through archives, but there's nothing. If I had known your last name upon finding you, everything about you would be clear by now. And even then, Guardians who are found without a last name tend to discover it pretty quickly."

"Well, there has to be a reason it's taking so long," Tatum chimed in. She figured this topic was very personal to Kasey, so she wanted to be as positive as possible.

"Who knows," Kasey responded. "But if I'm still looking for answers, it better be something exciting."

* * *

The remainder of their travel was completed in relative silence. The only other times Kasey buzzed through with a transmission was to say how much longer it would take.

The Hunter had actually gotten a decent amount of rest on the trip. She slept for a good six hours, and she wasn't constantly woken by nightmares or flashbacks, so that was a relief.

Their Ghosts dropped them from their ships at Archer's Line, and Tatum took in a breath of wonder as she looked out at the vast landscape of the Moon. When she glanced up, she could clearly see the Milky Way stretching across the sky. The Earth was in clear view as well, the blue of the oceans and white clouds prominently featured.

"Come on," Kasey said.

"Where are we going?"

"Uh…you tell me. You're the one actually running the mission after all. I'm just here for moral support," the Hunter answered, and Tatum could sense the smirk beneath Kasey's helmet.

"Well, a Guardian came here looking for a way into the Hive Fortress," Otto said, hovering next to Tatum's shoulder. "But he just…disappeared. His last known coordinates are up ahead. His last report says he captured an old accelerator from an unknown Fallen House."

"Your sparrow isn't linked on the Moon yet since you've never been here before," Kasey said. "But mine is." The Hunter nodded to Brian, and within a few moments, he had her sparrow scanned in front of them.

"Whoa, uh, nice ride," Tatum said.

Kasey nodded as she hopped onto her sparrow. "Brand new S-39 Autumn Glow. Right from the Vanguard. Come on. I'll zip us up there."

"Um…where do I go?"

"Um…" Kasey mimicked. "Behind me. What, afraid of getting close and personal with me?" she teased.

Actually, Tatum thought as she got behind Kasey on the sparrow, she wouldn't mind getting close and personal with the Hunter at all. But, Tatum wasn't quite sure to what extent she meant by being okay with that. She had only known Kasey for around a month now, but the Hunter was already starting to have an effect on her that she really didn't know how to interpret.

Kasey sped up the steep hill, and they zoomed past a small base area set up before they reached a towering structure that could only be the accelerator the unknown Guardian had captured.

"There's been recent activity," Otto chirped. "It must have been his Ghost. We'll need to go inside so I can hack the equipment. And, I'll also be able to link your sparrow, Tatum."

"Hey, you won't have to be clinging to me after this," Kasey said playfully.

"I know you can joke, but you're never like this. Are you really Kasey?" Tatum replied.

"Just trying to lighten the mood and distract myself from the fact that I'm really here."

Well, Tatum thought, that took an unexpectedly dark turn.

"I found something," Otto interjected. "He was looking for the remains of an old colony base. It's not too far from here. Maybe he's still there. Tatum, I also got your sparrow linked."

Just as they made a move to head out of the accelerator building, the growls and shrieks of Fallen pierced the air.

"We must have been tracked by them," Otto said. "You'll obviously have to kill them before we can go anywhere."

Kasey rolled her eyes as she got her scout rifle armed and ready, and she almost instinctively stepped in front of Tatum.

"I can handle myself, ya know," Tatum said, giving Kasey a small nudge with her shoulder.

"Sorry. Just, uh…whatever, let's kill these Fallen."

The Dregs were the first Fallen to pop out from the entrance to the accelerator building, and Kasey and Tatum were able to easily pick them off. Kasey saw the faint ripple of the invisible shields surrounding the Stealth Vandals, and a few precise shots took one down. She was thankful her Light was getting closer to breaking three hundred ninety units. It just made her missions with Tatum easier as these enemies simply couldn't handle that kind of power.

"There's another Stealth Vandal," Kasey said, but before she could finish she heard a short yelp from Tatum before the Vandal's body fell to the ground after the Warlock landed a swift melee to its chest. "Well…guess you found it," the Hunter concluded. "You okay?"

"Fine," Tatum answered. "Just caught me off guard."

"Guess you could say it used a…stealth attack…"

Tatum took a step back and looked at the Hunter, whose arms were outstretched in a gesture that only meant 'pretty good one, huh?'

"Now I see why you and Cayde get along so well," Tatum commented.

"You know there are more Fallen waiting for us outside right?"

"Well then maybe we should go kill them."

"Sounds like a plan."

Tatum rolled her eyes before she started up the ramp that led outside. Once she stepped out of the accelerator building, Dregs instantly began firing at her. She tossed her grenade, effectively killing a couple Dregs, before she turned her attention to several more Dregs and a Captain shooting at her from a platform to her right.

Kasey was right behind her, and the Hunter picked off the Dregs one by one as she let Tatum handle the Captain. While a Captain's rifle certainly did damage, they usually fell quickly to a few strong pulse rife shots and a melee. At least, the weaker ones did.

So, Kasey was definitely impressed when that's exactly what Tatum did. The Warlock equipped her pulse rifle, and it only took one shot to break through the Captain's weak shield. And with one more shot and a strong melee, Tatum was able to take it down.

"Nice stuff," Kasey said.

"I might have picked up a thing or two from you already."

"Well that's certainly good because I'm one of the best Guardians out there."

"Now I know what Holliday was talking about when she mentioned your inflated ego," Tatum said, but her tone was light and somewhat teasing.

"You learn to love it."

"I'll hold you to that."

Kasey nearly groaned when she saw another Fallen ship enter her sight. But she and Tatum were able to fight them off quickly. They worked well together. They were powerful and effective, and they knew they had each other's backs. Kasey had gotten used to fighting alone, but she figured she wouldn't mind fighting beside Tatum for a while.

And when they saw more Fallen movement pop up on their radars, it was Tatum who let out a groan this time.

"Are you fucking me?" the Warlock grumbled.

"Um…no, I am not. I'm actually f-,"

"Rhetorical question, Kasey."

"You think I didn't know that?" Kasey said back, crouching behind one of the steel pillars for cover as she saw several Dregs, a Captain, and a Servitor move toward them. "I just enjoy giving you shit."

Tatum laughed for a short moment before the sound of gunfire filled the air. It was easy to use the pillars of the accelerator building as cover from the Servitor's blasts, and Kasey was able to eliminate all three of the Dregs with her void wall grenade, leaving just the Captain and Servitor.

Kasey equipped her Gjallarhorn. She was like a little kid getting candy when she found the blueprints for it and set off to build it. It was pretty rare for a Guardian to find the instructions for the upgraded Gjallarhorn, so she was excited to get this chance to use it, even if it was against weaker enemies. She fired one blast from the rocket launcher, and it sped toward the Servitor, absolutely obliterating it upon contact.

"Holy shit, that was awesome!" Kasey said.

"That's all fun and fabulous but I could-," a blast from a fusion rifle, "use some help." Another blast sounded, and Kasey equipped her scout rifle and moved toward Tatum's location. The Warlock hadn't drifted too far, but the Captain had certainly lured her out of cover in favor of a melee fight.

Kasey fired several shots from a distance, both striking the Captain's head, and it fell to the ground, dead.

"There ya go," the Hunter said.

"Thanks."

"Any injuries? Heard you take a few hits through the transmission."

"No, I'm good," Tatum answered. "Let's get to that base."

Kasey nodded as Brian pulled up her sparrow, and Otto did the same for Tatum. They sped away from the accelerator building along the path carved out by previous sparrows, and they paid no mind to the group of Fallen that occupied another small base ahead of them. Even though several Pike-riding Dregs came at them, they managed to get past them without their sparrows taking too much damage.

The ride to the Anchor of Light was short, and Kasey could see another lone Guardian on her radar, probably running some patrols on the area; there were plenty of Fallen to eliminate here.

"That's where he was headed," Otto said as they approached the almost mushroom like structure of the colony base control center.

Kasey and Tatum hopped off their sparrows and entered the base by way of a small, makeshift bridge extending from the Moon's surface up to the base, and once inside they found several Dregs there. They killed the Dregs quickly, the lowest rank of the Fallen army no match for their combined strength.

There was a small set of computer screens in the center hooked up to thick cables that ran right up the center of the base, and Otto floated over to it and began scanning away, rebooting the system and looking through the lost Guardian's notes for anything important.

"Are there any other archives in there?" Kasey asked, leaning against the steel structure in the center of the base containing the cables.

"There's a lot," Otto answered. "But I'm only looking through the notes of the Guardian we're tracking, and they're all about a place called the Temple of Crota. It's not far from here…but from his notes, it sounds like a death trap."

"It is…" Kasey said, and Tatum just barely picked it up over their linked transmission. "But uh…Brian, would you mind taking a look through these archives."

Once Otto was done scanning, Brian floated over and took his own turn searching through the archived files.

"Anything?" Kasey asked quietly.

"Not here," Brian answered. "I think our best bet at finding anything is to keep searching through the archives on Earth. After the Collapse, it would have been more likely that anyone connected to your past had stayed to protect Earth."

Kasey nodded shortly. "Yeah…that's probably the best thing we can do." The Hunter turned to Tatum, and she took a step toward the Warlock. "You wanted to know why I hate the Hive so much?"

"Yeah. They seemed pretty bad last time I saw them on Earth, but I have a feeling they only get worse."

"They do. There's nothing more evil in our universe than the Hive. I'm sure of it. I've had some pretty bad experiences with each enemy group out there, but the Hive…their only purpose is to bring death and destruction, no matter what alien race it is. But they have a hatred for Guardians that's so strong I can't even begin to fathom how that level of despise could exist. They want the Light gone more than anything, and every time they have an opportunity to hurt us, they take it.

"I read about how, during the Collapse, they destroyed entire colony bases, killing every living member in them. At first I didn't believe the stories of how dark the Hive really were. I thought that's all they were…stories…used to motivate us to eradicate as many Hive as we could. But then I found out, they weren't made up stories at all. The Hive take so much pleasure in killing a Guardian, but they enjoy hurting humans the most. Maybe it's because we have the capacity to love and grieve. They must have known that by murdering one of our own, by literally tearing them apart while we're too helpless to do anything but watch, it would destroy us.

"I'll give them credit…they figured us out pretty well. The human mind is an incredible thing. It developed all these ways to protect our sanity from the terrible things that happen beyond the City walls. But in the end – and the Hive must have studied us, must have watched our reactions to losing those we care about to know this – some things are just too horrifying. They leave our mind defenseless against the trauma, the torment that follows."

"But you found a way to move on," Tatum said.

The entire mood had changed while Kasey was talking as they sped along the path leading to the Temple of Crota. Instead of basic information or stories about why the Hive were so evil, it had gotten extremely personal whether Kasey had intended it to or not.

"I didn't move on," Kasey replied as they hopped off their sparrows. The Hunter looked to the large, sealed doors of the Temple, her muscles tensing and stomach tightening just at the thought of having to come back here. Even though they weren't descending deeply into the Temple, there mere sight of it was enough to bring Kasey back to those horrible memories.

"I didn't move on," Kasey repeated. "I moved forward. There's a difference. As a Guardian, we keep expanding our horizons, our knowledge about this universe. We forge ahead to new frontiers, and while we try our best to clear our minds of it, we never forget those we've lost along the way. We carry their memory into every battle. We move forward, because that's all we can do."

* * *

The remainder of Kasey and Tatum's tracking of the Guardian that had gone dark had carried on in silence. After Kasey's talk about the Hive that had taken a very personal, emotional turn, Tatum had decided it would be best not to ask questions or continue the conversation, and the way Kasey had brushed past Tatum after she had finished speaking only furthered Tatum's thoughts that she needed to stay silent until she was spoken to again.

And, as it had turned out, the only time Kasey spoke to Tatum again during their mission was to give orders on what to do and where to go.

They had just defeated Vurok, an Eir spawn, and the Hive Wizard had matched Kasey's description in that it was certainly terrifying and gross. However, Tatum had suffered a pretty bad injury. She had taken too much damage from Vurok at one point as she had broken cover to back up Kasey and shoot some of the Acolytes as the Hunter had been preoccupied with a Knight. Vurok's blasts had broken through her chest armor and gauntlets, and there was a long cut along her left side, stretching from her ribs to the top of her waist. There was also a fairly deep gash in her left arm. It wasn't anything Otto couldn't fix, but it wasn't until now Kasey truly spoke to Tatum on more than a comradery level.

"Are you okay?" the Hunter asked, putting her arm around Tatum to help the Warlock as they made their way out of the Temple.

"Yeah…" Tatum got out, slightly out of breath from the sharp pain shooting up and down her side.

"Otto can fix you up on your ship," Kasey said.

Tatum nearly collapsed against a nearby boulder, both from exhaustion and pain. It wasn't that her wounds were so deep, but there was a burning to them that was almost unfathomable to Tatum, and it drained her energy as it set all her pain receptors on fire.

"Can I go back with you? On your ship?" Tatum asked, and she mentally cursed herself for sounding so desperate and helpless.

"Um…sure," Kasey answered with a small shrug.

Before long they were cruising back to Earth, another day and a half trip ahead of them.

Kasey knelt next to Tatum as Otto scanned at the Warlock's wounds, the Hunter lending her hand for Tatum to squeeze each time a wave of pain was sent through her side.

"You need to stop getting hurt like this," Kasey said.

"You say that as if this happens all the time," Tatum groaned, managing to roll her eyes despite the continuous pain.

"It is the second time I've had to do this," Kasey replied.

"Sorry for inconveniencing you."

Kasey narrowed her eyes at Tatum, gripping the Warlock's hand a little tighter. "It's literally not that. I want you to be as prepared as possible for when you're able to consistently go out there without me. Sometimes you'll be coming back alone. Sometimes you have to manage the pain and injuries by yourself."

Despite Kasey's stoic expression and even tone of her voice, Tatum could tell there was another personal depth to Kasey's words. The Warlock knew she would have to go out on her own, and she knew that day could very well come sooner than she would like to admit. The thing was, she liked Kasey.

She found her mind go blank whenever Kasey looked at her with her deep, hazel eyes. Eyes that held the wonders and horrors of a solar system. Eyes that held too much pain for being only twenty-two. And when the Hunter would rest her hand on Tatum's shoulder or back, just in a friendly or supportive gesture, Tatum wished that contact would last just a little longer.

Yes, she _really_ liked Kasey.

* * *

"So…what did you find?" Ikora asked when she saw Kasey and Tatum enter the Hall of Guardians.

"The Guardian that went dark," Tatum started, "We found his body. His Ghost was dead too, but we were still able to pull some of its memories. The Hive are raising an army, and they're definitely planning to come for Earth."

At her last statement, both Zavala and Cayde glanced up.

"Well, this sucks," Cayde said with a shake of his head. "Why does it seem like we can never just have one enemy attack us at a time?"

"What do you mean?" Kasey asked, narrowing her eyes a bit, signaling to Cayde to elaborate.

"I've been picking up increased activity from the Vault of Glass," he answered.

"Um…how long have you known this?" Kasey got out before Cayde could continue.

"Heightened activity has been showing for about a week now," the Hunter Vanguard said. "At first, I thought nothing of it. There have been plenty of times when Vex activity increases there, but within a few days it dies down. I figured that's what was happening, but when my readings continued to rise, I looked more closely. Portals had opened, and time was warping. Looks like our friend Atheon is back."

Kasey let out a huffed breath and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I was actually going to tell you guys tomorrow," Cayde said, giving quick glances to Ikora and Zavala. "But with the news about the Hive, I think we need to choose our battles now."

"Cayde is right," came Zavala's voice from the opposite end of the table. "Who knows what the Hive could be planning. For all we know, Crota himself could lead their attack. But the Vault of Glass is different. If we let the Vex gain power and intelligence down there, we barely know anything about them or their motives, so who knows what they could do to our Solar System let alone Earth."

Ikora nodded silently along with everything Zavala was saying. She knew the Vanguard would have to discuss this without telling the Guardian community for a couple days. She figured Kasey and Tatum – mostly Kasey though – could be included in the discussion, given that they were the ones who made this discovery. But in the end it would come down to the Vanguard's decision along with advice from the Speaker.

"We'll talk it over," Ikora eventually said before turning her gaze to Kasey and Tatum. "Come see us tomorrow morning. Given Kasey's status with the Vanguard, she has the right to give input on our decision. Tatum, you can be here too. It will be good for you to gain more knowledge about our enemies."

The two Guardians nodded and bid farewell to Zavala and Cayde before they made their way back to the Tower Plaza.

"What's Atheon?" Tatum asked.

"Atheon is Time's Conflux. We really don't know anything about Atheon, the Vault of Glass, or the Vex in general. Everything about them is simply based on speculation," Kasey answered, glancing around to make sure they weren't in earshot of other Guardians. If others knew Atheon was posing a threat to Earth and the Solar System's safety, there would be a panic as to who would be going to face Atheon, and Guardians would become distracted from their every day jobs.

"We know the Vex can time-travel. We know they look to gain intelligence by the day. But we don't know their motives at all. Maybe they are looking to become synonymous with time and mathematic proofs and all these other things even we are continuing to learn about. But we know we can't risk them bringing their non-linear time construct to our world and Solar System."

"So…what are we going to do about it?"

"The way the Vanguard spoke sounded as if we're going to be acting on the Vex and Atheon pretty soon. We'll definitely be sending a team of experienced Guardians out to eliminate the threat."

"Let me guess…you're going to be one of the Guardians going," Tatum said back with a small grin.

"Of course I will be. The challenge is going to be getting together a team that's prepared enough for the Vault of Glass."

"It doesn't scare you, does it?" Tatum got out as she watched Kasey, the Hunter now looking out at the City's landscape and skyline, and Kasey knew exactly what Tatum was referring to.

"I don't think anything scares me anymore. I want to be the best Guardian I can be and do everything I can to make a difference. Even if it means not knowing some of the things I desperately want to…that's something I can still accept."

* * *

 **A/N: Pretty long chapter here, and I plan on building up to the Vault of Glass raid within the next few chapters.**

 **As always, let me know what you think so far in a review/comment!**

 **\- lgbtdestiny**


	7. The Darkness Calls

**A/N: This chapter will include the mission that follows "The Sword of Crota." Interesting things happen…hopefully you guys like the ideas/head canons I'm incorporating!**

 **Note: Flashbacks are marked so you aren't confused!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 7

" _My own Light flickers..."_

It had been a couple weeks since Kasey and Tatum had run a mission together. The last time they went out was to visit the World's Grave and gather Hive archives. When they found out that the Hive were not only assembling an army to take Earth but that their gods were also returning and gaining more power, well…that didn't sit well with the Vanguard or Speaker. While Earth was already overrun with enemy forces, the City had remained a safe haven ever since the Guardians' last battle with the Fallen. However, the Speaker feared that the City might not make it through a potential attack by the Hive, especially if Crota or another god woke and led the onslaught.

Kasey had been somewhat frustrated when Cayde had assigned her to be one of the Guardians that would investigate the Hive's intentions and strategies further. While she certainly wanted to prepare for her definite, future face off with Crota again, she also desperately wanted to work on the issue with the Vex. However, Cayde had promised that she would be a part of the Fireteam that took on Atheon, so Kasey accepted her assignment to the Moon and Hive for now. Plus, Arlo was one of the Guardians sent to Venus, so Kasey could trust him to fill her in on any important information they found.

The Hunter's newest task was to destroy the Sword of Crota.

She barely slept for a week after Cayde told her.

* * *

 _*One week earlier*_

"No."

"Kasey-,"

"I said… _no_."

Cayde let out a huff as he tapped his chin, shooting a helpless glance to Master Rahool. After finding out the Hive were waiting for their gods – Crota in particular – to wake and take power, they needed to plan ahead. And, as they found out from the Cryptarch, destroying Crota's sword would be a good start to weakening the Hive's defenses. After all, the sword was one of the darkest forces ever to be wielded against the Guardians; the Cryptarchs new that from ages of studying it.

Cayde shrugged. "Sorry Master…this one is pretty stubborn."

"I understand her reasons for not wanting to," the Cryptarch said. "But this is something that has to be done if we want to get a head start at weakening the Hive's offenses."

"I can't do that. It'll be too hard for me. I really don't know if I could handle it. I'm sorry," Kasey answered. "Why can't you find another Guardian to do it? There are plenty others who are just as experienced as I am and who can take on something like this."

At that, Cayde and Master Rahool shot a knowing glance at each other, and Kasey squinted her eyes at the Hunter Vanguard.

"We wouldn't be asking you if we could find someone else," Cayde eventually said. "Guardians don't want to go anywhere near the sword."

"And what made you think that I would?" Kasey asked, squinting her eyes yet again at Cayde, causing the Hunter Vanguard to glance away for a moment. Even though Cayde had served as Kasey's mentor and he still guided Kasey every now and then, he couldn't help but find her a little intimidating every so often.

"Revenge maybe?" Cayde tried to say it with conviction, but it came out as more of a suggestion. "You want to kill Crota…this would be the first step to that – making sure he's not able to use that sword…to kill more Guardians."

Kasey thought hard about Cayde's statement. While it wasn't too encouraging, he had a point. Destroying Crota's sword would, clearly, weaken Crota. Unless he had another sword somewhere…then this mission would be pointless. But, Kasey never backed down from a challenge or an opportunity to expand her status as a respected, brave Guardian. Maybe part of it was her ego, but she also just wanted to continue to protect Earth and those who couldn't fight for themselves.

"Fine," the Hunter said after a few moments of silence, and she left Cayde and Master Rahool without another word.

* * *

 _*Present day*_

Kasey sat on the edge of her bed, her head in her hands as she took slow, deep breaths. She was planning to head to the Moon today to destroy Crota's sword, and this mission had bothered her for the last week. But she knew she had to do this.

"Hey…"

Kasey glanced up at Amanda's voice. She felt bad for how she had treated the shipwright over the past week. She was just too distracted with this to really _be_ with Amanda, and while Amanda wouldn't admit it, Kasey could tell she was a little hurt with how the Hunter had sort of pushed her away for this short amount of time.

"How am I going to do this?" Kasey said, and even though she tried to keep her voice strong, she couldn't help the slight crack at the end.

Amanda let out a soft sight as she looked back at Kasey. The Hunter looked so…defeated, and that wasn't something Amanda had seen for a while. Usually, Kasey was great at hiding her true feelings, especially if they were ones that could be taken as showing weakness. But right now, the worry and something along the line of sadness was clear in Kasey's expression, and it pained Amanda to know there was really nothing much she could to do help.

"In all honesty," Amanda started, "I thought you'd be somewhat excited to do this. I mean, you'll get to destroy the sword that took so many Guardian lives. You'll be a hero to so many here who have lost someone to it."

The implication of Amanda's last statement was clear: that Kasey was most definitely included in that group of 'so many' who had lost someone they loved to Crota's sword.

"But I'll be holding it," Kasey replied, her voice cracking again as she tried to hold back her tears. "I'll be using it…the very thing that kill- murdered…Tris. I'm not sure I can handle that."

"Maybe bring Tatum with you? Have her do it instead? She's definitely strong enough to handle a mission like this now, and with you by her side you can back her up," Amanda suggested.

Kasey nodded instantly. She knew she would still have to overcome the mental, emotional hurdle of the trauma associated with Crota's sword just by its presence, but not having to hold the thing would make it easier, no matter how small of a difference that was.

"I'll do that," Kasey said as she stood up. She gave a soft smile to Amanda, admiration and respect in her eyes as she looked at the shipwright before she took her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, by the way, for sort of being distant from you this past week. This request from Cayde and Master Rahool just-,"

"I know," Amanda said quietly, keeping her arms wrapped around Kasey's shoulders. She felt Kasey nod against the crook of her neck, and she wished she didn't have to let go of the Hunter. Every time Kasey left the Tower, Amanda couldn't help but think whether or not Kasey would come back. Cayde always told Amanda that she didn't have to worry, that Kasey was tough and resilient and that she would find a way back no matter what.

But Amanda couldn't help but worry about Kasey. She knew things happened outside the City walls. Sometimes a Guardian lost their Ghost, and sometimes there were just things that even a Ghost couldn't fix. And Amanda would be lying to herself if she said she didn't wake up from nightmares about those very things happening to Kasey.

The shipwright was pulled from her thoughts when she felt Kasey take a step back from her. Any worry she felt instantly melted away when she met Kasey's deep brown eyes, a stark contrast from the solemn emotions they held just minutes ago. She would never understand how Kasey managed to stay so calm through all this. But holding back her emotions did come with a price, as Kasey's rare breakdowns in sadness or explosions of anger were both on the extreme sides of the spectrum…Amanda knew that from experience.

"I'll walk with you to the Hangar," Kasey said. "I'm meeting Tatum there."

* * *

Kasey spotted Tatum once she and Amanda exited the Tower lift. The Warlock smiled at her, and Kasey managed a light grin in return. Part of Kasey admired Tatum's continued optimism and eagerness to complete missions for the Vanguard and Speaker. She liked that Tatum had faith in their job as a Guardian. But Kasey had her worries for Tatum. She knew that light-hearted optimism couldn't last forever, and she knew she would have to be there for Tatum when the last of it vanished.

"Ready?" Kasey asked.

"Of course," Tatum answered with a small nod. "A little nervous since, well, this is kind of a huge mission for us…but I can handle it."

"You'll be fine," Kasey said, giving Tatum a soft pat on the shoulder before resting her hand there. "Plus…you have me there. I won't let anything happen to you."

Tatum nodded again, and she turned away, heading to the Hangar dock as a wide smile came to her face. She nearly groaned in frustration for allowing herself to get so caught up in her feelings for Kasey already, but there was just something about the Hunter that she felt herself continuously drawn to.

"You know-," Otto started.

"Don't," she said, cutting her Ghost off as they waited for the shipwright to bring her ship up. She was not ready to hear another lecture about how she had no chance with Kasey. Tatum sort of knew that already, but it didn't do anything to quell her growing adoration for the Hunter.

Kasey had watched Tatum walk away, and she would have followed after her since Amanda had called for both of their ships, but she wanted to steal a couple more minutes with the blonde before she left. When she turned back to Amanda, the shipwright was looking at her with squinted eyes and a raised eyebrow.

"What?" Kasey got out.

"Don't play dumb with me, Guardian," Amanda said, taking one of Kasey's hands and pulling the Hunter toward her as she took a seat on one of her working tables.

Kasey let out a small chuckle before she met Amanda's eyes. "Holliday, I have no idea what you're trying to get at here."

Amanda took a moment to study Kasey's expression before she rolled her eyes. "Wow…you really are oblivious, aren't you?"

"Then maybe you should just tell me," Kasey said with another soft laugh.

"Fine…Tatum likes you."

Kasey pulled back, her own eyebrow raised now as a small grin came to her lips. "I know that. She's my…friend? You know I'm not good with labels but I do consid-,"

"No, I mean…she _likes_ you."

"Ah so…oh…I, uh, I catch your drift."

"In all honesty, it's cute," Amanda said. "Just don't lead her on."

"How would I lead her on?"

"Kasey, you're one of the greatest Guardians to come along in a while here. You're smart and brave _and_ you can be insanely charming. Everything about you is just _so_ desirable."

The Hunter smirked at the playful tone toward the end of Amanda's words before she stepped forward and gave the shipwright a soft kiss on the forehead. The action was incredibly sweet and not something Kasey had ever done. At least, Amanda couldn't remember Kasey ever doing something like this. She felt her heart flutter nonetheless.

"Don't worry about me out there," Kasey said as she pulled away. "I'll be fine, and I'll be back soon."

* * *

Kasey and Tatum were only a few hours into their trip to the Moon when a transmission from Master Rahool came through.

"Telling us about the sword, I'm assuming?" Kasey asked.

"You know enough about it, Hunter," came the Cryptarch's response, and even though he didn't mean it in any hurtful way, it still struck a chord with Kasey. "The Warlocks believe that it's in a chamber in the Gatehouse, which is near the Hellmouth. It's guarded by the Swarm Princes. If you defeat them and get the sword, we can destroy it and make sure it can never be wielded against us again. Just be careful…the dark powers of the sword can drain any Light it touches if one is not strong enough."

"Thanks for the message of caution," Kasey said. "I think we'll be fine. We'll report back once we land."

The transmission with Master Rahool cut off, leaving only Tatum on the communication line now.

"Swarm Princes?" Tatum got out, and Kasey could sense the slight nervousness in her voice.

"They're all Hive majors. Like Master Rahool said, they guard the sword. They definitely won't go down without a good fight, but don't worry, we can take them. Get some rest though. You'll need it. I'll talk to you again soon," Kasey answered, keeping her voice calm to hopefully reassure Tatum that there was nothing to fear about the Swarm Princes. She didn't really know what to expect from the Princes. She figured they would be challenging, but she knew she could handle them.

Once their transmission was cut, Brian faced Kasey and scanned her chest armor off before he spoke up.

"Are you sure you still want her to take the sword? You heard the Cryptarch…the sword drains Light. What if hers isn't strong enough?"

"Brian, she'll be fine," Kasey said back. "She wouldn't have come along if she knew she couldn't handle this. Plus, it'll be good for her to face harsh enemies like the Swarm Princes early on. She'll get good experience from this, and I'm prepared to back her up whenever necessary."

"I'm just saying…use caution when we're there. If the sword-,"

"I know," Kasey interrupted. "Trust me, if she's struggling with it, I'll take the sword. As much as I don't want to use it, it's my job to protect Tatum."

Kasey was surprised with the forceful tone of her voice, almost as if she was getting protective over Tatum. Then again…of course she was getting protective. Tatum was her comrade, her friend, and it was her job as a mentor to protect the Warlock as best as she could. There was nothing more to it. At least, Kasey was trying to convince herself of that.

* * *

The remainder of their trip had gone by without much conversation. Like the last time, it was mostly Kasey just periodically checking on Tatum to make sure the trip was going smoothly for her too.

They landed at Archer's Line. It wasn't too far from the Hellmouth, and Kasey couldn't help but feel a cold shiver run through her just at the thought of travelling back to that place.

Once Brian had sent a transmission to Master Rahool and Cayde-6 to confirm their arrival on the Moon, he turned and spoke to both Kasey and Tatum.

"The only way to destroy the sword is to kill the Swarm Princes. Since they're the ones that made the sword, once their energy and darkness is eliminated, the sword can no longer exist without that. One of them guards a ritual site near the Hellmouth. We should head there and challenge him first."

Kasey and Tatum pulled up their sparrows, and they sped along the path through Archer's Line. Kasey wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, so they didn't bother with any of the Fallen scattered throughout the small area.

They rounded a few corners before they came up a small hill, and in the distance Kasey could see the opening of the Hellmouth. As they hopped off their sparrows, Kasey couldn't take her eyes off the seemingly endless fall that led down to where so many Guardians had lost their lives.

"The ritual site is right up ahead," Brian said.

They saw the small area that was apparently the ritual site. A tall pillar decorated with Hive architecture stood in the middle, green flames and smoke rising from the top. Kasey felt another chill go down her spine.

"Alright," the Hunter said, giving Tatum a small nudge with her elbow. "Ready?"

"Let's do this."

The two Guardians approached the ritual site, and once they entered it, a swarm of Hive Acolytes came after them. They retreated instantly, using the boulders surrounding the site as cover from the Acolytes' fire, and it wasn't long before Banuk appeared as well.

"We need to take care of the Acolytes first," Kasey said, shooting a few of them down as she spoke. "Banuk isn't straying far from the ritual site, so we can stay up here for now."

Tatum didn't need to respond as she ducked behind a boulder to reload, and then she was back at it, picking off several more Acolytes and only taking light damage from them in return. The number of Acolytes around them began to dwindle, and Tatum saw bits of Acolytes fly into the air as a result of Kasey's grenade. Once they had eliminated the last of the Acolytes through precision shots from afar, they wandered back to the ritual site where Banuk was waiting for them.

"Keep moving and firing," Kasey said through the transmission. "Throw both your grenades, and get your fusion rifle equipped."

Tatum did as she was told just as Banuk fired from his Boomer rifle before coming at Tatum with a melee. She jumped back just in time before launching her scatter grenade. All the separate pieces went right at Banuk, significantly damaging him.

Kasey lurked around one of the several pillars surrounding the ritual site, letting Tatum draw most of the attention, and once she had a clear shot, she jumped into the air and unleashed her Super. Three void arrows from her Shadowshot struck Banuk directly in his chest, effectively tethering him to the void as Tatum fired several blasts from her fusion rifle. And, within moments, Banuk fell.

Kasey sort of skipped over to Tatum, letting out a small huff as she landed on her feet next to the Warlock.

"Nice work. Still have three more to go," she said.

Tatum rolled her eyes but smiled beneath her helmet nonetheless. "Then let's get to it."

"I like that attitude, rookie."

"I won't be a rookie forever."

"Maybe not to other people, but to me you always will be," Kasey said back, her tone light yet genuine, and she looked at Tatum with a soft expression despite the fact that the Warlock couldn't see it.

"I'll lead us to the others," Otto said. It was the first time he had spoken so far, and once he got approval from Kasey and Tatum, he sent the directions to their radars.

They pulled up their sparrows again as they needed to go a little closer to the Hellmouth as that was where the entrance to the Gatehouse was located. As they continued the short distance along the path, Kasey couldn't help her eyes drifting to the Hellmouth a few times along the way. Everything about it was intimidating and dark. If any Guardian ever said they weren't afraid of what waited in the depths of the Hellmouth, Kasey knew they would be lying.

They made quick work of the Acolytes and Knights that guarded the entrance to the Gatehouse, Kasey's eagerness to just get down there already pushing her to be more aggressive with her fighting, yet she made sure she wasn't careless with her attacks.

"Not to unsettle you," Otto started, "But I'm tracking the sword by the Light of the Guardians its killed. It's further below."

"Was that really necessary?" Kasey shot back, her tone sharp as they rounded a corner and were instantly swarmed by more Acolytes and Knights.

They worked well together to eliminate this group of Hive enemies, using cover and backing each other up when one of them was surrounded. Once the last Knight was killed, they continued their descent into the Gatehouse.

"The sword is close…I can feel its power," Otto said.

Just as he finished his words, Tatum and Kasey entered a circular, open room with staircases leading to balconies on either side. It was also filled with Hive.

"Clear them out!" Otto chirped.

"No shit," came Kasey's response.

It was only Thralls and Acolytes at the moment, so it wasn't a hard ordeal for Tatum and Kasey to wipe them out in a short amount of time. A Wizard came out at the end, but Kasey killed it with only a couple blasts from her own fusion rifle.

The two Guardians stood in silence for a few moments, looking around, their weapons aimed and ready. The silence was eerie, and Kasey swore she could actually hear the darkness that surrounded them.

"Grab the sword," Otto instructed. "That should lure out the Swarm Princes. But be careful. Its power is…dark."

The second Otto said that, Kasey felt something, and in this moment she knew she had, in fact, been hearing the darkness around her. The dark power from the sword…she could sense it, but there was more. It was like a soft whisper, the black smoke radiating from the sword calling out to her. It was also a gentle pull, a small tug that had her inching closer without her consciously realizing it. Soon she was within reach.

The smoke enveloped her hands and arms, its thin wisps like fingers against her armor, begging for her to take the sword's handle.

"Kasey…" Tatum got out, taking a few steps closer to the Hunter. She wasn't quite sure what was happening, but whatever it was, Kasey was acting strange. "Let me take th-,"

"No." Kasey's voice was sharp, harsh even. "I need to do this."

The Hunter decided she was feeling this way because this was her chance to destroy the very weapon that had murdered the love of her life nearly three years ago. This was her opportunity to make sure no Guardian would ever have to endure the pain and trauma she went through on that day.

Kasey nodded to herself, almost as if she were trying to convince herself that that was the truth, and that she wasn't feeling this way because maybe she actually _wanted_ to use the sword. She wouldn't let herself believe that was the true reason.

With one deep breath, Kasey wrapped her fingers around the sword's handle.

She could feel the darkness of the sword, feel it as it seemed to course through her veins the second she touched its handle. She could feel its lure, could feel its power.

She thought the darkness was incredible, beautiful even.

And she loved it.

* * *

 **A/N: So here is where things are starting to get serious, which is why I made this a shorter chapter…to kind of leave it at that cliffhanger of sorts. Kasey's storyline is really taking off now just as we also dive into setting up the Vault of Glass.**

 **Also, maybe you've noticed, but every chapter starts with a quote, and all of them come from the Grimoire cards. I try to choose them to reflect one of the themes in each chapter, but if you have your own quotes that you especially like, feel free to leave them in a comment/review for me!**

 **As always…leave a comment/review of what you think about the story so far!**

 **\- lgbtdestiny**


	8. You Can't Run From This, Kasey

Chapter 8

* * *

" _The Pujari Position describes the Darkness as a force with both physical and moral presence, an actualization of evil."_

* * *

Tatum was…worried? Scared? She wasn't quite sure of the exact word she would use to describe how she had felt when she saw Kasey take Crota's Sword in her hands.

And as she sat in the pilot's seat of her ship, her thoughts drifted back to the day before. She remembered how she basically had to rip the sword from Kasey's hands to kill the final Swarm Prince. For some crazy, unexplainable reason, Kasey had wanted to keep the sword! She had been screaming at Tatum about how much power the Guardians could have if they learned to weaponize the sword's capabilities. They would be unstoppable against Crota this time if they did.

"You don't have anything to say about this?" Tatum asked Otto, finally breaking the silence…it had been hours since their last conversation. They were about a day into their trip back to the Tower, and Kasey hadn't talked to Tatum at all so far. It wasn't a big deal though; the Warlock figured this would happen. In fact, Kasey hadn't spoken to Tatum after she had destroyed the sword. Tatum could tell the Hunter was angry, but for what specific reason, Tatum thought she would never find out.

"I suppose I'm not really sure where to start," Otto said, and he solidified their destination to the Tower in the Director before he turned to Tatum, his blue center brightening to show the Warlock she had his full attention.

"How about we start where she didn't want to destroy the sword?"

"It…certainly was strange," Otto answered. "I don't know what to make of it. But she was so adamant about _not_ touching the sword before we set out for the mission. She even said the reason she brought you along was so that you could destroy it instead. I wonder what caused that change of mind in her."

"I wonder a lot of things about her…" Tatum mumbled with a small shake of her head.

"You barely know anything about Kasey. You have no idea how her mind works or what she's been through in the past…yet you still harbor these feelings for her so soon. Why?" Otto asked, narrowing his center to make sure Tatum knew he was serious about getting a full answer.

"I already told you…something keeps pulling me toward her. I mean, I certainly want to get to know her, but that's kind of hard to do when even she doesn't know anything about her past."

"I'm not talking about just her past life before she became a Guardian, I'm talking about the things that have happened to her while she's been in the Tower."

"I know she lost someone close to her," Tatum said.

"But you don't know how that affected her…how it _still_ affects her. Tatum, it's my job to look out for you and help you whenever I can, and I just think that-,"

"It's okay," Tatum said, cutting Otto off. "I get it, and I know I'm coming off as a naïve teenager who just has a crush, but I'm serious about how I feel for her. While I know things won't really go anywhere with her, I can still be a friend, and that also involves getting closer to her."

Otto tilted his floating body down slightly in what was interpreted as a nod before he turned back to the ship's controls. "I'm somewhat glad I wasn't created with the capability for all these…confusing feelings humans have," he said, and Tatum laughed softly in response.

* * *

Kasey and Tatum landed in the Hangar at close to one in the morning. Aside from the small bustle of various shipwrights and the occasional Guardian returning, the Hangar was always quiet this deep into the night.

The travel, fighting, and more travel combined with no sleep took a toll on Kasey, and she was exhausted. She was still trying to figure out what had happened to her on the Moon. She had a long talk with Brian on their trip back to the Tower about it, and they both remained confused.

Once they exited their ships, Kasey grabbed Tatum's wrist and pulled the Warlock closer to her almost harshly. Tatum winced slightly at the strength of Kasey's grip around her wrist.

"You don't say anything about what happened to anyone, got it?" Kasey said, her voice low and threatening.

Tatum nodded as she avoided Kasey's eyes. When the Hunter let go of her wrist, she took a step back before she decided to speak.

"What are you going to tell someone when they ask though? You know Cayde will want to-,"

"They don't need to know I did it. We'll say it was you."

"But don't you think this could be something serious? I mean, you didn't even want to go anywhere near the sword at first. Maybe you should-,"

"Enough, Tatum."

The Warlock flinched at how harsh Kasey's voice came out. She had never seen the Hunter's eyes so dark before, and she had never seen her so aggressive like this aside from when she was fighting. And for the first time since they met, Tatum was a little afraid of Kasey. The Hunter definitely wasn't herself. She was more distant, and she seemed erratic; even though it had only been about a couple months since they knew each other, she had never snapped at Tatum like this before.

They walked in silence to the Tower Lift, and when they stopped at Kasey's floor, the Hunter glanced at Tatum, a softer expression on her face now, her hazel eyes glistening with apology.

"Get some rest," she said. "I'll be going to the Vanguard around noon, if you'd like to be there with me."

Tatum just nodded, bidding Kasey a good night before the Lift brought her down to her own floor. If she was confused before by Kasey's sudden aggressive, rigid behavior, she was even more perplexed now at how the Hunter quickly calmed down, how her voice had softened, and how she had looked at Tatum with those eyes…oh, how Tatum could drown in Kasey's soft gaze.

Everything about how the Hunter had just acted frightened Tatum. And yet, she found herself wanting more.

* * *

By the time Kasey entered her living quarters, she was ready to pass out. One mission usually didn't take this much out of her. She knew it was because of what happened with Crota's Sword. In fact, she swore she could still feel the dark power coursing through her veins with every beat of her heart. She just needed to get some sleep and rest her mind a little. She hoped by the time she went to the Vanguard she would have things sorted out.

She sighed out in disappointment when she entered her empty bedroom. Of course Amanda wouldn't be here. Kasey was going to find a way to give Amanda access to her room. A scan-card or…something. She wasn't too sure why she suddenly longed for Amanda to be with her now. Maybe her feelings for the shipwright were finally catching up to her, but all Kasey knew for sure was that she didn't like returning to an empty apartment anymore.

Kasey didn't even bother taking off her under-armor clothing as she collapsed onto her bed, immediately pulling the blanket over her head, surrounding herself in the darkness of her mind.

With everything so quiet in this moment, Kasey was sure she could hear a soft humming around her, almost as if the darkness was sending a constant reminder that this was something she couldn't escape.

Usually, Kasey would move past whatever happened to her on the battlefield. Getting an injury or witnessing a horrific sight was something she was used to by now, and she always managed to get over them quickly. Usually a small talk with Cayde or Amanda accomplished that. But this time was different. For some reason, Kasey felt as if the darkness was following her now. Or was _she_ the one pursuing _it_?

Wiped out from the confusion of it all, Kasey shook her head before she closed her eyes, finally allowing her body to rest.

* * *

Kasey woke the next morning with a long groan, and she turned over onto her back and looked up at the ceiling for a few moments before she sat up in her bed. Once again, she huffed in frustration at the loneliness she felt from not waking up next to Amanda.

Brian floated in front of her, and Kasey had figured out all his expressions to know that the way his blue center brightened and his shell expanded slightly meant he was giving her a smug look.

"What?" she got out, returning his expression with a smug grin of her own. It was often said that Ghosts take after their Guardians in personality, which is why it sometimes takes them so long to find their Guardian. Kasey knew this was why they understood each other so well.

"Admit it," he said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied as she got out of bed. She stretched her arms over her head and yawned widely. She left her same clothes on from yesterday, and she motioned for her armor.

"Kasey…" Brian started as he scanned the Hunter's armor onto her body. "You know the sooner you let yourself accept that you love her, the happier you'll be."

Kasey sighed as she tied her hair into a high ponytail; there was no need for anything else until it was time to put on her helmet. "You can't be sure about that," she said quietly as they exited her apartment and headed to the Tower lift.

If Brian could genuinely feel the emotions that affected humans, he convinced himself that Kasey's stubbornness always caused him to feel frustration. He narrowed his shell body as he floated in front of her again as the lift doors closed.

"Maybe I can't, but I _am_ sure of the fact that she loves you immensely and that you _are_ happier whenever she's with you," he said.

"Are you just forgetting how we started off with each other?" Kasey narrowed her own eyes, and she was shocked by how quickly she snapped at Brian. She never really did that.

Brian relaxed his shell, and Kasey could tell his expression was softer now. Of course Brian couldn't forget. After all, it was his job as a Ghost to store the memories of his Guardian's life. He would say that the past eight months of Amanda's and Kasey's relationship with each other had smoothed out. They certainly acted like a normal couple, and Kasey was more open with Amanda now. But it wasn't always like that between them.

After Kasey had lost Tris, Brian remembered how she had turned to Amanda for support. The Hunter had needed a friend, and Amanda was more than happy to be that friend for her. But it had quickly turned into something more. Kasey had been so lonely without Tris, and it hadn't taken her long before she had started to use Amanda as the person to fill that loneliness.

Even though Amanda wasn't someone who wore her heart on her sleeve, Kasey had always been good at reading people, and she had clearly picked up on the fact that Amanda had feelings for her that went beyond "just friends."

It wasn't something Kasey was proud of, and to this day she still found herself apologizing at random times to Amanda for what she had put the shipwright through. What Kasey had had with Amanda for nearly two years was unhealthy. It was a dark thing for Kasey to do…sadistic even, for her to keep stringing Amanda along, for her to keep luring Amanda back into her bed simply because she knew Amanda couldn't say no. She had exploited Amanda's feelings for her, and the Hunter would never understand how the shipwright had been able to forgive her.

"You two found a way to move past that," Brian answered. "You make each other happy now. I'm just saying, as your Ghost, it's my job to make sure you're okay. Being honest with Amanda can help with that."

"I'll get to that point whenever I'm ready," Kasey said back as the lift opened at the Tower Plaza.

Their conversation instantly ceased as they made the short walk to the Hall of Guardians, Kasey being greeted by several Guardians along the way. She couldn't help but steal a glance at the Traveler hanging above the City. Kasey had always been skeptical about the total devotion nearly everyone had to protecting the Traveler. While it was true the Traveler was responsible for the incredible abilities the Guardians had, there were still so many unanswered questions about it, and she was sure the Speaker had those answers, but he was unwilling to give them.

Cayde-6 instantly grinned when he noticed Kasey walking toward him. His mood always lightened when he was around Kasey. Knowing she could talk freely with him and not be so serious all the time made his job of being stuck at the Vanguard table a little easier.

"There's my favorite Hunter," he said with a small smile. "How did the mission go?"

"It went well," Kasey answered, taking a glance around for Tatum. "I thought Tatum would want to tell you herself. It's okay…she's probably sleeping in." Oh, what a liar she could be.

Cayde nodded in understanding. "I'm sure. Handling such power for being a young Guardian can take a lot of energy."

"I would imagine," Kasey said. "Even I could feel the power from the sword." And as she said that, she felt a small shiver go down her spine. Just the mention of the dark power was enough to have her craving more.

"Well, thankfully it's gone now."

"Any word on the Vex?" Kasey asked suddenly, not wanting to talk about Crota or anything related to dark magic for the time being.

"Yes, but you know I'm not at liberty to give specifics just yet," Cayde said when he noticed Zavala shoot him a sharp glare. "But," he continued, lowering his voice as he leaned closer to Kasey, "You should speak with Arlo when his group gets back. It'll be a little while before that happens though."

Kasey nodded and gave Cayde a warm smile before she turned to Ikora.

"I see your prodigy didn't join you today," the Warlock Vanguard said.

Kasey huffed in frustration. "I wanted her to, but as I told Cayde, she's probably exhausted."

"Fair enough. How are you holding up? I know being so close to the sword must have been hard."

Kasey hesitated before she answered. She knew she could tell Ikora the truth, but with precautions the Vanguard always took with the Darkness, the Warlock would have to tell the rest of the Vanguard and the Speaker, and Kasey didn't want that just yet.

"It was," Kasey answered, settling on the easiest thing to do. "But I pushed through. It was good to have Tatum there."

"Of course. I'll see you around."

Kasey nodded to Ikora before she turned and headed back out to the Tower Plaza. The Tower was buzzing with Guardians given that it was the middle of the day. So many Guardians were either leaving on a mission or returning from one, and Kasey rather enjoyed seeing the Tower so full of life.

The Tower was literally an escape from reality. Here, Guardians could relax and recover, and it wasn't uncommon for a group to go out into the City for a night a fun and laughs, a night of pretending as if certain death didn't wait for them outside the City walls.

Kasey took her time walking to the Hangar. She figured if she could honestly tell anyone about what had happened with Crota's Sword, it would be Amanda.

She found the shipwright in her usual spot, and the blonde was sitting on top of one of the tables near her work station, her legs swinging slightly over the side. Her expression softened and she smiled when she saw Kasey approaching her.

"There's my favorite Hunter," Amanda said lightly.

"That's the second time someone's told me that in the last few minutes," Kasey responded with a warm smile of her own. While just being in Amanda's presence calmed her down a little, it didn't take long for the anxiety about what had happened on the Moon to return.

"Hey," Kasey got out, suddenly unable to meet Amanda's eyes. "Can we, uh…talk?"

Amanda narrowed her eyes but kept a grin on her lips. "I don't like the sound of that. What…breaking up with me or something?" she teased.

Kasey rolled her eyes and managed a soft laugh before she nodded for Amanda to follow her.

"So, what's up?" Amanda asked once they were out of earshot from the other shipwrights.

"Something happened…on the Moon. I-I don't really know how to explain it," Kasey started, running a hand through her hair as she let out a small huff. She knew anything pertaining to the Darkness wasn't something to mess around with, and she knew how seriously everyone in the Tower took issues regarding it. She reconsidered telling Amanda the truth for a moment; she figured the blonde would surely tell Eris or the Vanguard, and the last thing Kasey wanted was word getting around that she was being taken by the Darkness.

"Promise me this will stay between us until I say otherwise," Kasey said, her eyes narrowing as she almost glared at Amanda.

"Why, is it something-,"

"Just promise," Kasey interrupted.

"Okay, okay…I promise," Amanda answered, raising her hands in mock defeat.

The Hunter squinted her eyes at the shipwright again. She didn't know why she was having trouble trusting Amanda right now, but she figured if Amanda did end up saying something to someone, well…then they would have to have a serious talk.

"Fine," Kasey said, huffing out again before setting her eyes back on Amanda, her gaze softer than it was before as she came back into the comfort and support she always felt with the shipwright. "You know how I said I wasn't going anywhere near Crota's sword?" Amanda nodded. "Well…turns out that didn't happen. I don't know what came over me, but I felt drawn to it. I felt so empowered when I was holding it that I didn't even want to kill the last Swarm Prince because I was afraid if the sword was destroyed then I would lose that feeling forever…"

"But…?" Amanda rested her hand on Kasey's arm. It was a small gesture, but it was enough to let the Hunter know it was okay to go on.

"But I didn't lose that feeling. I heard the sword calling out to me down there. I felt its dark power surge through me. And even now – I can't even explain what it feels like – but I just _know_ it's still with me."

Amanda's eyes widened at what Kasey was trying to tell her. She dropped her hand from the Hunter's arm as she thought about the weight this whole incident carried.

"So…you're telling me that you're, what, carrying the power of the Darkness?" she asked, looking up to the Hunter with cautious eyes.

"I-I think so."

"Kasey, I really think you should tell-,"

"No," she said, and Amanda felt as if she was really cut by Kasey's curt and sharp tone. "I'll tell the Vanguard in my own time. But right now, I think I can find a way to handle this. Nothing weird has happened to me yet because of this. There's no need to raise concern when there might not be any to begin with."

Amanda eyed Kasey carefully for a few moments. Of course something weird had already happened to her. Amanda could already tell her mood was off; she never snapped at her so harshly like that. Sure, Kasey had days when she was in a bad mood and didn't want to be bothered, but this was different. Kasey just went from soft to hard and cold in a split second, and that wasn't like her at all.

"I won't tell anyone," Amanda said, knowing there was nothing she could say to change Kasey's mind. "But I do want you to keep me updated on this. You know how much I care about you, and I just don't want this to escalate. I mean…the Darkness is the literal embodiment of evil. I don't want you becoming another Dregden Yor or…worse."

Kasey shook her head and took Amanda's hands in her own. "It won't happen. I promise, if I feel really off, then I'll let the Vanguard know. Maybe I'll tell Eris first. She knows how to handle the Darkness. And who knows, maybe this could be a good thing. Maybe I can learn how to weaponize it for myself."

"Don't get too ahead of yourself, Guardian," Amanda teased, and the laugh and eye roll that was Kasey's response almost reassured the shipwright that there was nothing worry about with this.

Almost.

* * *

 **A/N: As I mentioned before, we will be getting into the battles with Atheon and Crota pretty soon. I will definitely be continuing this fic into the world of Destiny 2, and I've already planned out the ideas I have on how to make that transition.**

 **The next chapter will show more from Arlo's perspective as he is the Guardian we will follow as we move into the Vault of Glass.**

 **Happy reading!**

 **\- lgbtdestiny**


	9. Progress

Chapter 9

 **A/N: so here we'll follow Arlo's story a bit more as soon we will see him taking on the Vault of Glass :P We'll also have little snippets of what Kasey and Tatum are up to.**

* * *

" _Living metal. Incomprehensible intelligence."_

Arlo heard the screeches of Fallen just as his Ghost began tapping into the computer terminal again. He let out a long, frustrated groan before readying his MIDA scout rifle.

"Seriously? More of them?"

Arlo turned to look at Grayson, a relatively experienced Warlock who had offered to go with him on this mission. He was a good fighter and an even better friend, and Arlo rather appreciated his ability to keep his witty personality even in times of battle. Grayson reminded him of Kasey in a few ways, except the Warlock was much nicer and welcoming from the start than Kasey.

"Did you think they would just let us leave here with extensive information about the Vex?" Arlo chirped as they ran up a flight of steps to a more open area, which would allow them to easily see where the Fallen were coming from. Arlo spotted them approaching from the far-right corner. The Fallen still had a little way to go before reaching them; the vault that sheltered the Archive was huge.

That was Arlo and Grayson's mission: to secure the Archive that held vast knowledge, records, and secrets of the Golden Age and to extract the specific information the Fallen were trying to access. They had reasonable intel to guess that the Fallen were looking for anything about the Vault of Glass. Since they were a dying race, if they found a way to get into the Vault and overpower the Vex, they could move to other solar systems and galaxies. While the Fallen leaving Earth wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, other alien species that were already at war with them would follow, and that _would_ be a bad thing.

As the Fallen closed in on their position, Arlo noticed that they were led by a Baron from the House of Winter. Another groan escaped him.

"Who is that?" Grayson asked as they began picking off the Dregs first, the lower rank Fallen quickly dropping to the ground as their bullets connected with their heads.

"Grayliks. Your names are similar. Maybe you two can be friends," Arlo replied shortly before he planted his feet firmly and thrusted his palms outward, channeling void energy to create his Ward of Dawn. This way, the Vandals that were shooting at them from a distance would have a harder time landing their shots, and they would have a safe place to reload and not worry about taking damage.

"Yay, bubble buddy!" Grayson exclaimed as he equipped his sniper and took out several of the Vandals.

Arlo tossed out his grenade, the two quick bursts coming from it slowed down Grayliks a little, which allowed the Titan to load up his machine gun.

Grayson threw another grenade at Grayliks before he picked off the remaining few Vandals. The two Guardians stepped out of the Ward of Dawn, both now holding their heavy machine guns. They opened fire on Grayliks, and the Baron stumbled back, stunned at first by the force of the bullets. But he quickly regained his footing and charged back at them.

Once their first machine gun clip was empty, Arlo and Grayson stepped back into the Ward and equipped their other weapons, Arlo holding his fusion rifle, Grayson holding his regular auto rifle. Grayliks followed them right into the Ward, and because of Arlo's Saint-14 Helm, the Baron was instantly blinded. The Guardians fired at him as he tried to retreat, but he was already injured enough, and all it took were several fusion rifle shots from Arlo to blast through his chest. Grayliks fell to the ground, clearly dead, and Arlo and Grayson stepped over him as they made their way back to the central computer terminal.

"I don't know why we can never just get into a place, grab the information we need, and leave," Grayson said when Arlo released his Ghost in front of the computer.

"Well…this one," Arlo started sarcastically, motioning to his Ghost, "Always manages to set off an alarm every time he hacks into something."

"I'm not perfect," his Ghost, Simon, answered, the same amount of jest in the little light's voice. "It's actually near impossible to decode most of these defense mechanisms without setting something off."

"Well we've made it this far fending off all the enemies you draw to us," Grayson added, smirking beneath his helmet.

"How's the Archive?" Arlo asked, resting his arm against the computer terminal, leaning against it slightly. "Anything interesting?"

"Yes, actually," Simon answered. "It's incredible. There are things here showing pathways to other galaxies, and mappings of the Vault of Glass! We'll need to get this back to the Vanguard, and the Cryptarch can probably help us make sense of this map. But this could lead us right to their stronghold where Atheon is."

Arlo nodded and shrugged. "Taking on a big bad robot that probably wants to destroy all of us? Let's do it."

* * *

To both Arlo and Grayson's disappointment, they could not just gather up some more Guardians and head to the Vault of Glass now that they found the mappings and details of it. According to Ikora, there was another "big bad robot" that needed to be destroyed. As the Vanguard had learned through their previous studies of the Vex, and with the added knowledge Arlo and Grayson had pulled from the Archive, Ikora could confirm that the Vex transformed the worlds they occupied with a Nexus. The Nexus would literally tear up and consume the existing world, replacing it with Vex technology, which was how the Vex ultimately turned planets into machines, adding to their vast, complex network they had created across the universe.

"While it's certainly impressive," Ikora started, "We cannot let the Vex completely take Venus. If they do, their next stop will be Earth, and we can't have that happen. You two need to go back to the Ishtar Sink, and far below the Academy is where you will find this Nexus mind. Oh, and it might be nice to bring another Guardian along…you're probably going to need the extra help."

Arlo and Grayson exchanged a nod, and the Warlock gave a quick salute to Ikora, which registered a soft smile from the Vanguard.

"Sounds good to me," Arlo said. "We'll head out tomorrow. We have the mappings and everything, and I know someone who would be eager to help us."

Ikora gave a curt nod in return, and the two Guardians walked back out to the Tower Plaza together. Streaks of vibrant oranges and yellows painted the sky as the sun was just beginning to set, and Arlo let out a small breath as he leaned against the Tower's railing, enjoying this moment of peace and the cool autumn air.

"You want to bring that Awoken girl, don't you?" Grayson piped up, the slight breeze rustling his choppy black hair as he looked over at his Exo friend.

"Yes. She's a very good fighter. She needs this experience too. While her Light isn't as strong as ours, she can handle it, and we can help her through it too."

Grayson just nodded as he glanced away, hiding the grin that spread onto his lips. He could tell Arlo liked this Hunter…a lot. The Warlock didn't think Exos could feel the emotions humans experienced, but after he gave himself a history lesson and learned that the Exos were actually engineered from Humans, it made sense that they would have a similar emotional pathway.

"Where's your other friend?" Grayson asked. "I would've thought you would want to bring her along, but then I remembered you mentioned something about her mentoring a new Guardian?"

Arlo affirmed Grayson's speculation with a nod as they began walking to the Tower Lift. "A Warlock…maybe you can give her some tips," he said, giving Grayson a soft nudge with his elbow. "But it's going well…those two working together. I know they're sort of the main two that are investigating and eliminating Hive threats on Earth. They actually went back there several days ago, but I'm not sure what they're doing out there."

Based on his recent chat with Kasey before the Hunter left for Earth, Arlo could tell that the Hive threat was growing stronger. After Tatum had encountered the Wizard in the Cosmodrome, the Vanguard had sent other teams of Guardians there as sort of a clean-up crew, and those groups had done a solid job of managing the Hive. However, the Hive threat turned out to be deeper below the Earth's surface than the Vanguard had thought.

Eris Morn didn't even have to go there to investigate to know that the Hive were calling upon Crota again. It was a threat that needed to be stopped as quickly as possible. Arlo could tell that Kasey was nervous about it, which wasn't good. It took a lot to rattle the Hunter even the slightest bit. She didn't even mention what she and Tatum would be doing there this time around. But once word got out around the Tower that Crota could rise again, the dark truth hung over all their heads: six more Guardians were going to have to face him soon and put an end to him once and for all.

Arlo physically shook his head, trying to rid himself of the thought. He knew Kasey was going to be the first one to jump back into the Hellmouth when the time came.

Arlo had his Ghost establish a connection to Amina's. He wasn't sure if he was stepping over a line by asking her to join him on this mission. After all, the most they had done was various patrols. He wasn't even sure if they had established themselves as friends or comrades or…whatever label people put on this sort of thing. But, he figured it wouldn't hurt to just ask.

"You're though to her Ghost," Simon piped up, floating in front of Arlo.

"Amina, are you there?" Arlo asked.

"Arlo…hey!" came her response, and the Exo's mouth twitched up into a small smile. "What's up?"

"I wanted to know if you'd like to join me on a mission."

"Of course! What are we doing?"

"Well, my buddy and I just got back from Venus where we extracted the Archive. It contained a ton of Vex knowledge that the Fallen were trying to tap into. Anyway, we found mappings of the Vault of Glass and locations of a powerful Nexus back on Venus. We need to stop its progress of turning Venus into one of the many mechanical, technological planets the Vex have in their expansive universe."

Arlo was met with several seconds of silence on Amina's side of their Ghosts' transmissions, and he figured the Hunter would say no. He wouldn't blame her. It was a big task to ask of a fairly inexperienced Guardian. But, Arlo figured, she had to start getting the experience at some point.

"It sounds tough," Amina chirped after a few more moments. "But I'd be happy to help and visit a new frontier."

"Great. I'll let Grayson know; he's the Warlock that helped me with the Archive stuff. He's a good fighter. Together we'll be able to eliminate that Nexus. We should head out tomorrow morning. Meet me in the Hangar around nine."

"I'll see you then!" Amina replied, and Arlo could hear the excitement in her voice.

In a way, he sort of felt like he was taking Amina as his own prodigy. After Naveed had turned out as, well…everything a Guardian _shouldn't_ be, Arlo somewhat longed to teach another Guardian. He enjoyed helping others, and he never passed up an opportunity to educate a younger Guardian about battle tactics or simple ways to improve their fighting skill.

But more than that, he felt something along the lines of friendship with Amina. While mentors certainly did keep a good connection with their students, it was rare for one to feel so comfortable around them. Usually a more experienced Guardian kept themselves at an emotional distance from their prodigy. But Arlo trusted Amina already. If he didn't, he wouldn't have invited her on such an important mission like he did just now. And while he was certainly outgoing, Arlo didn't have many close friends, so he passed off these feelings about Amina as simply wanting to expand his circle of trust. Or maybe – and he wasn't ready to admit this to himself – he really wanted to feel a strong, emotional connection with someone.

It was something Arlo often thought about. While he was an Exo now, he knew that at some point in the past he was a human. He didn't like to think of himself as a "robot" as some people put it. No, robots were Frames; while they were helpful, their minds didn't have the capacity for complex thoughts and emotions. An Exo held onto their past, but lost, humanity. Arlo was determined to find it again.

* * *

"Rise and shine," Simon chirped as he floated in front of Arlo.

The Exo didn't really need to sleep…or eat, or do anything Humans had to do. His body was a machine now, and it could function on its own. But, he still had the mind of a person, and doing a simple thing like sleeping was one way Arlo was trying to reconnect with his humanity. It might seem silly to others, but to Arlo, this was something that mattered to him.

Arlo had his armor scanned onto him once he got up. Unless he was hanging out in his apartment, he always wore his armor. He couldn't imagine walking around the Tower without it, because without his armor, he felt too much like a Frame. He aspired to be something more.

Arlo headed straight to the Hangar. He knew he was a little early. Grayson and Amina would be meeting him there in about fifteen minutes, so he figured he would just have Holliday pull up his ship and get it prepped in the meantime.

"Hey," Amanda said once she saw the Exo walk up the short stairway to her work place. "You're the exact person I was hoping to see. Have you heard anything from Kasey?"

Arlo squinted his eyes at the shipwright. She looked worried. "No…I would assume _you_ would be the first person she or her Ghost would contact if anything happened. Why?"

"They've been out at the Cosmodrome for several days now. No word at all."

"Sometimes Kasey takes her time. Especially with Tatum…maybe she's just making sure they don't go charging headstrong into something they might not be prepared for," Arlo replied softly. While Amanda hid it well, he could tell she constantly worried about Kasey whenever the Hunter was away from the Tower. "Hey," Arlo continued, "she'll be okay."

Amanda nodded and mustered a small smile in return before she turned away, calling for Arlo's ship to be brought up.

"Arlo!" The Exo rolled his eyes and turned around at the sound of Grayson's voice. The Warlock was walking up the steps, a smile on his face and Amina by his side. "Who's rea-dy to kill a roooobot!" he said with a sing-song tone.

"We're killing a Nexus mind," Arlo responded. "A machine that can literally turn a planet into technology…yeah, I'd say I'm ready to kill something like that."

"Count me in and ready too," Amina added, giving the Exo a short nod, a smile remaining on her face.

"Then let's get going. Venus takes about five days to get to. We'll need to be well rested and ready once we land."

The trio boarded their respective jumpships, and within several minutes, they were blasting out of the Earth's atmosphere and headed to Venus.

"Amina, how many times have you been to Venus?" Arlo asked through their Ghosts' transmissions.

"A few," the Hunter answered. "I've completed a few missions there as well as some patrols. I know the land well enough for this."

"I had no doubts. Did anyone tell you why we're tracking down this Nexus?"

"Nope. I actually never heard of a Nexus before you mentioned it. I really just accepted the invitation because you're someone I knew I'd feel comfortable running missions with," she answered.

Arlo smiled at that. He wasn't sure why, but he felt a warmth go through his machine-like body – a warmth that made him feel all happy and giddy. He wasn't necessarily searching for Amina's trust or approval, so to have that come naturally was a good surprise to him. He felt as if he could really get somewhere with her, like how his friendship with Kasey bloomed into one where they trusted each other with their lives. As a Guardian, that kind of bond was crucial, and it had to be freely given.

"Well," Arlo started, focusing his mind back to reality, "the Vex, you know, they turn planets into machines…a link in their vast universe they've created for themselves. A Nexus mind is what does that transformation. We have to stop it. The Vex have made too much progress on Venus already, and if we take this Nexus mind down, we'll be able to descend even further to where one of the biggest pieces in their universe lies."

"And where is that?"

"The Vault of Glass."

* * *

"Shit. Fucker. Dammit. Fuck…" Kasey didn't stop muttering expletives as she sprinted out of the Grottos. Sardon, the Fist of Crota, was right on her tail, but she knew he wouldn't chase her that far. The Grotto was a sacred site to him. He would never leave until he was as powerful as Crota. And, well, she was there to make sure that never happened.

Her lungs burned with each breath, and she didn't know how much longer she could keep sprinting like this. She supposed the weight of Tatum over her shoulder wasn't helping.

Kasey was aware of the blood spilling over her armor. It made it difficult for her to keep Tatum slung over her right shoulder, and even more difficult for Otto, who was desperately trying to zap at the Warlock's wounds to try and slow the bleeding.

As soon as Kasey's legs carried them well into the Refinery, Sardon stopped his chasing, and with a loud, angry screech he retreated back into the Grottos. Kasey thanked the heavens no Hive had returned to the Refinery, an ancient mining area. It was occupied by Fallen, but as it neared the Grottos, the tunnels became filled with Hive. Thankfully, Kasey and Tatum had eliminated the few Hive patrolling this tunnel, so they were safe for now.

Kasey gently laid Tatum down, propping the Warlock up so she was leaning against the tunnel wall.

"Fucking hell, I told you he wasn't like anything you've seen before!" she screamed at Tatum. She let out a strained sound of a groan and yell as she turned back to the young Warlock. "Why didn't you listen to me?!"

It took the Hunter several more seconds to actually come to her senses and realize that Tatum was currently bleeding out right in front of her.

"Shit…Tatum, I-I'm so sorry, I – _fuck_ , you better not die on me right now. I mean, I know your Ghost will, well, you know, revive you and stuff but still…okay. I need to shut up," Kasey muttered as she kneeled next to the Warlock. Otto was furiously scanning and zapping away at the deep gash that went right through Tatum's midsection, trying to repair the organs, tissue, and skin that were torn to shreds by Sardon's sword.

And as she watched, Kasey was suddenly paralyzed with fear. She couldn't speak, she couldn't even bring herself to tear her eyes away from the sight of Tatum lying lifeless on the ground in front of her. She had been here before, in this very situation. Only the last time, she was deep beneath the Hellmouth, in another realm where a monster so dark dwelled that even the Darkness itself was afraid of it.

Soon enough though, and through tears in her eyes, Kasey saw the steady but slow rise and fall of Tatum's chest. Letting out a breath she didn't even know she had been holding, the Hunter sat herself beside Tatum, and she took the Warlock's hand.

"Did you…actually fix her wounds? Or did she…?"

Otto shook his Ghost body from side to side. "I didn't have to revive her. She was strong. She pulled through. But…her wounds are _very_ severe. She can't go back down there just yet."

"I'm not an idiot, I wasn't even thinking of doing that," Kasey snapped. She instantly gritted her teeth and shook her head. "Sorry…I'm just…on edge."

"It's understandable. I know I'm just a machine, but, I was afraid too," Otto answered.

Kasey glanced over to her own Ghost for several moments. Brian didn't even need to see the Hunter's expression beneath her helmet to know that she was thoroughly shaken up by this.

"We should probably just go back to the Tower…let her rest and…get the care she needs," Kasey said, her voice calmer now as she tried to compose herself. "The wound is really bad. She needs proper medical care."

"I'll transmit you two into your ship," Brian answered. The Ghost felt bad for both Tatum and Kasey. He knew the Hunter was someone who hated abandoning a mission, and he could tell she was putting on an act of strength right now. She never broke down in front of others anymore.

Kasey continued to hold onto the Warlock as they were scanned into the Hunter's ship. Kasey let out sigh of relief at the notion that they were safely away from the Grottos. And, thankfully, they were in the Cosmodrome area, so the flight back to the Tower wouldn't take long at all. Then, finally, Kasey would know for sure that Tatum would be safe.

* * *

Arlo, Amina, and Grayson had their weapons readied as they entered the N/Gen branch. They had crossed an opening early where Vex and Fallen were fighting each other. The Fallen had taken over this branch, and they were using the technology in the offices of the branch to study the Vex and their Nexus mind. After all, the Nexus' dig site was right below it, albeit a fair ways underground.

"Picking up Servitors," Arlo's Ghost chirped.

"How many?"

"Three. All guarded by groups of Fallen."

Arlo nodded and looked to Grayson and Amina. "We'll have to take them down together. The Servitors are what's tapping into the computers here. Who knows how much information the Fallen have already gotten about this Nexus mind. We need to make sure they don't get any more."

They moved into the room to their right, and sure enough, they were quickly swarmed by Fallen. But, they worked well together as a team, throwing grenades to slow the Fallen down. Grayson took to spraying them with his auto rifle, while Arlo and Amina went with precision shots, taking multiple Dregs and Vandals down with only a few shots.

Finally the Servitor emerged from behind one of the large computer blocks. It instantly fired at them. They ducked out of the room to reload, and Arlo equipped his machine gun. Upon reentering the room, Grayson tossed his vortex grenade, and Arlo opened fire from his heavy weapon. The hardened bullets staggered the Servitor, and Amina used the time to fire several blasts from her fusion rifle. After that, it only took about half a mag from Grayson's auto rifle before the Servitor spun wildly around, eventually exploding into several large pieces.

"Good stuff," Arlo said. "We can expect the same from the other two Servitors."

"Based on the mappings we pulled from the Archive, there are several more sections where we'll encounter Fallen and then Vex. The Nexus is way below the surface," Grayson added as they began to move to the next Servitor's location.

"We'll get there soon enough."

They eliminated the two other groups of Fallen and Servitors smoothly. Amina had taken some heavy damage at one point due to her weaker armor, but they made sure to rest after they cleared the area so her Ghost could heal her wounds. They weren't anything serious, but it was always better to take the time to make sure all wounds and armor were repaired before moving forward into more combat.

As they made several more turns and journeyed through a few hallways, they came into an open room. Lush vegetation covered the ground, and on the wall on a glowing screen "M Line" scrolled by.

"Huh…a transit station," Arlo mumbled, looking around at the glass ceiling and subway tiles lining the wall.

"Do you ever wonder what it must have been like?" came Amina's voice from behind him. "All the people boarding the transit lines...going home or going on an adventure. It must have been incredible."

"And also to try and evacuate during the collapse…" Arlo added, his voice more solemn as he looked to the ground. "Yeah, I think about that sometimes."

"Hey, guys, don't get all depressed. We still gotta kill this Nexus mind," Grayson said as he plopped down on one of the still intact benches in the transit station.

"Gray, don't tell me you don't think about what was here before all this destruction."

"I barely do. The way I see it, there's no going back. We can't change what was destroyed or bring back the lives that were lost during the Collapse. But what we _can_ do is make sure it doesn't happen again. That can only happen by moving forward."

The Warlock certainly wasn't one for getting sentimental about things like this. It wasn't that he didn't care about it, because he very much did. He was woken by his Ghost five years ago, and now, at the age of twenty-eight and through extensive digging through archives, he had found out his parents had died shortly into the start of the Collapse. They weren't any of the lucky ones chosen by the Traveler either. So yes, Grayson did care, but as he always told people, what could he do about it but keep fighting to make sure it doesn't happen again?

"I understand that mindset," Arlo responded with a small nod. "Amina, are you good to keep moving?"

The Hunter nodded and gave a thumbs up, smiling beneath her helmet. Her injuries hadn't been that bad anyway. She knew she would be fine to face whatever this Nexus mind was.

The trio pushed forward, and their journey descended them a little further. They encountered another group of Fallen and Vex along the way. The area right before the entrance to the tunnels leading to the dig site was guarded heavily by Vex forces, including several Minotaurs. It proved to be a challenge for the Guardians, but with a more conservative approach of ducking out and back behind cover, and with Arlo providing a Ward of Dawn to shield them from a majority of gun fire, they were able to eliminate all the Vex enemies that stood between them and the dig site.

They took their time moving through the tunnels of the dig site, and they were amazed at how far below the surface of Venus the Vex had gone. Entire chunks of the planet were carved out, leaving new and vast caverns glinting occasionally with the metallic look of Vex machinery.

"It's a good thing we're doing this now," Arlo said as they turned through another tunnel, and they could see a faint glow at the end of this one. "If this Nexus mind made this much progress already, there's no telling how quickly Venus would have been completely transformed."

"Whoa!" Grayson yelped, and he extended his arm as he scrambled back, small rocks cracking off the edge of an immense drop to where they assumed the Nexus mind must be waiting for them.

"You know…you could have easily broken your fall with your floof jump," Amina piped up, a playful tone in her voice, and Arlo let a small chuckle escape him.

Grayson looked back at the Awoken Hunter, and incredulous expression on his face beneath his helmet. "Um…excuse me…I'm proud of my floofiness." And with that, the Warlock launched himself off the edge of the drop, Arlo and Amina quickly following.

They took in the massive dig site they had landed in. Characteristic Vex architecture in the form of pillars, walls, and hallways surrounded them in a perfect, circular area. There was a platform in the very center with a bright, spire-looking light emanating from the center. The three Guardians could only guess that that was where the Nexus mind dwelled.

Multiple red flashes came up on their radar as they began walking toward one of the open hallways. They moved as a unit, and they quickly encountered a Vex Minotaur. The sound of their guns attracted even more Minotaurs, and they worked efficiently, fusion rifle blasts and entire clips of heavy machine guns penetrating the Minotaur's shields and killing them in a timely manner.

"There's one more," Arlo said through their Ghost comms. "Once we kill it, this Nexus mind is probably going to come at us instantly. We have to be prepared. Get ready to use your super abilities and unload your heavy ammo on it. We end this Nexus mind now."

They located the final Minotaur, and they cornered it with grenades and were able to finish it off with their combined primary weapon ammo. As Arlo had predicted, several seconds after the Minotaur went down, there was a rumbling, creaking sound of metal, and hundreds of pieces of the environment around them went flying to the center of the dig site. Sure enough, the Nexus mind floated before them, its recognizable, tri-piece, impenetrable shield rotating around it. The three Guardians widened their positions, getting ready to unleash everything they had.

Amina was the first to strike. She smirked as she summoned her flaming hand cannon, the three fiery shots hitting the Nexus mind hard, weakening it significantly already. Arlo and Grayson only had time to get a round of their machine guns into it before flashing, hazy grey material clouded their vision. Vex reinforcements were inbound.

Arlo sprinted to the back wall where there was cover from the void burning bombs the Nexus was firing at them. He thrusted his palms outward, generating his Ward of Dawn for his allies. He ducked into it to reload, then emerged, spraying the Vex Goblins moving toward him with his machine gun. Once they were down, he peeped out from behind the towering mechanical wall to fire more at the Nexus mind, the bullets staggering the mind for just a moment.

Vex moved on Grayson as well, and he was really waiting to use it on the mind, but he had no choice but to reach into the void and launch his Nova bomb at all the Goblins and Hobgoblins that were beginning to corner him. He retreated back to Arlo's bubble, taking a small breather as he reloaded all his weapons.

"Don't get lazy on us now," Arlo teased. "We should have some time before more Vex arrive. Let's hit that mind with everything we've got."

They staggered their attacks around the mind's rotating shield, and they could tell they were close by the pieces of metal that began to fall from the machine in front of them. They all launched a grenade at the mind, and the explosion of all three at the same time staggered the mind again.

Once again, the grey haze that signaled more Vex reinforcements settled on the dig site, but the three Guardians weren't stopping now. They unloaded entire machine gun clips and rocket launcher magazines at the mind, and just as the Vex hit the ground, the center of the Nexus mind exploded, shooting pieces of itself outward. Its metallic body spun around its center, clearly losing all functionality, until finally the machine inside could no longer fight. The explosion from within was even more powerful than the first, and the sound rang through all their ears, and the force of the blast threw them back against the wall.

Arlo didn't have it quite as bad since he wasn't human anymore, but the ringing in is his head remained, and once he regained his focus he noticed that the Vex were gone, the mind was in pieces around the central spire, and Amina and Grayson were still lying on the ground.

"Guys!" Arlo yelled, sprinting over to his friends. He stumbled over several pieces of the mind on his way over, his balance still slightly off from the mind's explosion. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw both of them shift slightly at the sound of his voice. "Oh thank goodness…you're alive."

"Of course…we're alive…you…idiot," Grayson huffed out, a strangled cough escaping him as he tried to sit up, and Arlo helped him. "If we died…you would've heard…our Ghost…say so."

"Amina, how are you holding up?" the Titan asked as he rolled his eyes at Grayson still being able to maintain his dry humor.

"Urgh…" Amina got out, rolling onto her side. "Still shaken…but I'll be good."

Once Grayson was sitting up against the back wall, Arlo, went over to Amina and helped her do the same. With them being Human and Awoken, their Ghosts had to heal them and stabilize their bodily functions after a rattling explosion like that. Whereas for Arlo, the most his Ghost ever really had to do was regenerate a piece of him should it get blasted off or something morbid like that.

Arlo's Ghost, Simon, connected him back to the Tower communications, and he floated in front of the Titan to let him know they were through.

"To the Vanguard," Arlo started, "This is Arlo-8 checking in, and I'm accompanied by Grayson Woods and Amina…" He trailed off, nodding to the Hunter as he did not yet know her last name or if she even knew her own…

"Fajer," was Amina's response. She let out a loud huff as she used the wall to brace herself, and she slowly stood up.

"Arlo-8 with Grayson Woods and Amina Fajer," the Titan repeated. "We were sent to a dig site deep below the surface of Venus to eliminate a powerful Nexus mind that was quickly consuming the planet and replacing the landscape with Vex technology. We're proud to report that the Mind has been destroyed. We're all okay – a little shaken up from the violent explosion the Mind emitted when it went down, but okay nonetheless. We should be returning to the Tower in about five days and will discuss our next moves further."

It only took a minute or two before a transmission from the Tower came through. It was Ikora who spoke.

"Well done, Guardians. One Vex tendril has been severed. But, their presence still grows in other dark places that have been out of our reach for the longest time. However, with your information about the Vault of Glass you pulled from the Archive, we can continue to understand their power and begin to haunt the realms where they gather."

* * *

"Hey…wake up…"

Kasey's voice was soft, and her touch on Tatum's shoulders was even softer, almost as if she was afraid any contact at all would cause the Warlock even more pain.

Tatum's chest armor had been removed, and a thick bandage now stained a deep red was wrapped multiple times around her midsection. Kasey had just finished wiping the excess blood off the floor of her ship, and her hands and gauntlets were now caked deep red. Despite Otto's excellent work at repairing everything in Tatum's midsection that was torn apart by Sardon's sword, he had to focus on that before he could move to sewing up the gash, which meant Kasey and Brian needed to be on blood control duty. They went through several towels during that time.

Tatum let out a strained groan, and when she went to sit up, the shooting pain was instant, and her hands immediately went to her stomach. Luckily, Kasey grabbed the Warlock's wrists.

"Hey," the Hunter started, "don't touch that. Otto needs to work on closing up the wound a little more. He's almost done…you're gonna have a wicked battle scar."

Kasey took one of Tatum's hands in her own, and she gently rested her other on the younger girl's back as she helped her sit up.

"It hurts…" Tatum got out, and her voice was so weak and scared Kasey could've sworn she felt her heart break. "I'm sorry…"

Kasey squinted her eyes. "Why?"

"I should've listened to you. You were right…Sardon was too strong for me to handle."

"Don't apologize. That doesn't matter anymore. I'm just glad you're alive."

"What would've happened if I had died from that?" Tatum asked. She was a little more alert now. Her senses were coming back to her, and she held onto Kasey's forearm to give her extra support as she continued to keep herself sitting upright.

Kasey shrugged and shook her head slightly. "Your Ghost would have healed your wounds, revived you, and then I'd make you feel guilty about it." She finished with a playful wink, which got a lopsided smile from Tatum, and that was enough for Kasey.

"Do you like…remember how you died? Or do you forget stuff?" the Warlock continued.

"Damn, you Warlocks really do always want to know more," Kasey huffed. "You remember…you remember everything." At that, Kasey trailed off, her mind going back to those dark memories that had haunted her for close to three years now. But the Hunter quickly shook her head, trying her hardest to escape the past and focus on the now.

There was a slight jerk in her ship's movement, and when she glanced out the front window, she could see they were nearing the Tower.

"I'll tell Ikora we're back. There should be someone that's able to take you to the Warlock Hospital."

"Wait…hospital?"

"You need some proper rest and care. You lost a lot of blood. They need to make sure you heal properly," Kasey answered.

Her ship came to a gradual stop as it hovered over the Hangar landing deck before it softly rested on the surface. Once her ship was locked down, Kasey lent Tatum her arm for support as they exited the ship. And, it didn't take long before another Warlock approached them. With the great possibility of Guardians returning with severe injuries, it was imperative to have other Guardians with medical skills and regular doctors constantly available as soon as possible.

"Hey," the Warlock said, a soft smile on his face, his kind, deep blue eyes meeting Kasey's as he gave them a small wave. "Name's Rori…looks like you got it bad out there this time around. I can take you to the Warlock Hospital," he continued, turning his attention to Tatum now.

"Just make sure she's okay," Kasey said. "Her Ghost did a real good job, but she lost a lot of blood."

Rori picked up on Kasey's protective tone instantly, and his expression changed to a more admirable one as he looked back at the Hunter. "Of course. I know how hard it can be to see someone you care about get injured like this. She'll be fine, and I'll have my Ghost link to yours – I'll tell you when she's settled and everything."

"Wait…you're not coming with me?" Tatum asked, her eyes almost pleading for Kasey not to leave her. As kind as Rori was, she didn't want to be separated from the only person she one-hundred percent trusted after having a near death experience.

"I need to report back to Ikora as quickly as I can. I'll come once I'm done…I promise." Kasey gave a firm nod, and her strong expression yet soft hazel eyes let Tatum know that she would, most definitely, keep that promise, no matter how little it might have sounded in the moment.

And while Kasey might not be the warmest, most welcoming person ever, the one thing she would never do is break a promise.

* * *

Kasey had had an extensive talk with Ikora about what the next step was. Rori had informed her that Tatum would need about a week's worth of recovery time to build her strength back and make sure everything healed properly. So, Kasey was strongly considering just going back on her own to take down Sardon. Ikora wasn't a fan of that idea. While she had no doubt Kasey could do it, she wanted to give the Hunter a little time to bring her mind down to base level instead of functioning on high emotions the way she was right now.

The Warlock Vanguard could clearly see Kasey cared about Tatum more than the Hunter would ever admit, so the best course of action for the two Guardians was to just take it easy for several days while Tatum recovered, and then they would talk about making a run at Sardon again.

While Kasey had retained her usual stubborn attitude, she eventually gave in to Ikora's reasoning. And after their talk, she had upheld her promise about going to the Warlock Hospital to check on Tatum.

When the Hunter arrived, Tatum was asleep, and Otto was continuing his work on her wound. The only thing left was to finish repairing the last of the top skin layer, and Kasey could already see how long the scar would be. She couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt go through her. She felt she could've done more to support Tatum against Sardon…or done more to stop her when she told the Warlock not to be extremely aggressive with him.

But, what's done is done, and Kasey had no choice but to live with her guilt and try her best to move on. After all, she knew Tatum wouldn't blame her. The Warlock was clearly already blaming herself, but Kasey was going to try and fix that. Tatum shouldn't feel badly…everyone makes a mistake when judging an enemy at some point. It has to be taken as a learning experience instead of something that just pulls them down and weakens their confidence.

"Oh, you're here!"

Kasey turned at the sound of Rori's voice, which was still delicate as ever. The Warlock smiled at her as he smoothed out his wavy black hair.

"How's she doing?" Kasey asked.

"Just great actually. She's been sleeping for several hours now, and she needs it. Her body and mind are exhausted," Rori answered. "But I'm sure she'll be happy to see you when she wakes up. She kept going on about how stupid she was not to listen to you and that she'd never stop apologizing until you accept one."

Kasey grinned and shook her head. "She would say that. Well…when she wakes up, tell her that I said it's not her fault and to stop apologizing because I won't accept one," she said, her grin still remaining.

"You're not staying?"

"I would…but I have something else to take care of. My gir- uh…a good friend of mine is probably already worried beyond belief about me. We were in the Cosmodrome for several days, which isn't like me, so I should probably tell her I'm back."

Kasey rushed her last words out and left Tatum's room, still trying to recover from her almost-slip up of calling Amanda her girlfriend. In fact, the Hunter was immensely aware of Brian trying to float in front of her. She avidly tried to avoid him by turning her head in every which way, but he eventually managed to catch her eye, and once he did, Kasey knew there was no avoiding it.

"Admiiiitttt iiiitttt," he drawled.

"I don't know what you're referring to."

"Oh, come on! You nearly said "my girlfriend," as in…a certain shipwright hmm…?"

"Relax, Brian," the Hunter said, rolling her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you, Amanda and I don't-,"

"Put a label on your relationship," Brian finished. "Yes, yes…I get it. But _you're_ still trying to act like there's no relationship to begin with, and that's just lying to yourself. If I asked you 'do you love her?' would you honestly look at me and say 'no'?"

Kasey didn't respond, and she looked away from her Ghost too.

"Look at me," Brian said more sternly, and Kasey reluctantly returned her eyes to her Ghost. "Do you love her?"

"I…" Kasey couldn't find the words. She hadn't expected what seemed like such a little slip of the tongue to lead to such immense implications. But it did, and now she knew: her feelings had finally caught up to her. She could no longer run from them. Her legs had given out from the long and tiring chase, and now her feelings were smothering her, trampling her as they rushed over her.

Brian knew it was going to be hard for Kasey to say it out loud, but he could tell she had come to the realization herself now. He felt bad for the Hunter. She had been through some of the worst emotional trauma a person could ever experience, and here she was, beginning to love someone again in a universe that was bound to only take that person away from her at some point.

Kasey didn't even try to speak as they took the Tower Lift to the main floor of the Hangar, and the Hunter felt her heart speed up once she saw Amanda. What Brian had said to her earlier…she didn't know why it had hit her so hard.

"Hey," Kasey got out, rubbing her arm as she smiled almost bashfully, and she glanced down for a moment as she approached the blonde.

"Holy shit, you're okay…"

And soon, she felt Amanda nearly pounce on her, the shipwright wrapping her arms tightly around her shoulders. Kasey instantly melted into the embrace, her arms finding their way around Amanda's waist.

"I-I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was back sooner. Tatum got hurt real bad and I had to make sure she was okay and then I had to talk to Ikora to-,"

"Hey…hey…don't apologize," Amanda said, cutting Kasey off from her rambling. "Did it scare the living hell out of me that I didn't hear from you? Of course it did. But I get it…sometimes missions take a lot out of you. I'm just glad you're back. It feels like years every time you go out there."

Kasey pulled away just enough so she could rest her forehead against Amanda's. Any other thought disappeared from her mind right now. She was comfortable and safe with Amanda, and she wished her mind never had to leave this kind of peace ever again.

"Do you, uh, maybe wanna catch a break from the Hangar for a while?" Kasey asked quietly. "Come back with me for the night?"

Amanda nodded instantly. Nothing about Kasey's question had any implications of something more. In fact, Amanda rather appreciated that. While it was true whenever their time spent together after Kasey returned from a mission usually ended in a night of hot, passionate sex, Amanda was never opposed to just – as Kasey said – spending the night with her in a way that made it seem like they were in a real relationship.

Their trip back to Kasey's Tower apartment was filled with talk about what had happened in the Cosmodrome. Amanda could see how obviously shaken Kasey was by it all. She was clearly having flashbacks to what had happened to Tris when they had went up against Crota, and Amanda felt her heart break for the Hunter yet again. It was something Kasey would never be able to fully recover from. And while the nightmares didn't come as often and the flashbacks lessened, something like what happened to Tatum seemed to reset that progress. Amanda was glad Kasey asked her to stay with her tonight.

However, when they entered Kasey's living quarters, the Hunter fell oddly silent as she had Brian remove her armor and changed into her usual sleepwear of a plain white shirt and soft, gray pants.

"I, uh…wanted to ask you something," Kasey said, her voice soft, shy almost, as she looked back at Amanda.

"Okay? You know you can ask me anything…why do you seem nervous?" Amanda sat down next to Kasey on the bed, eyeing the Hunter closely.

"Um…I was wondering – and I don't know why it just came to me now but…I was thinking…about us, and how, or what, we've been to each other has evolved over time. And it just hit me that…I…care about you, _a lot_. You're my rock. You're the only person who keeps me sane in a universe that…will stop at nothing to tear my mind apart."

Kasey paused, looking around the room as she tried to find her next words.

"You…you're…you're everything to me. And I-I want to be something _more_. I need to stop lying to myself and to you about my feelings for you…because it'll only hurt both of us even more in the end. So…if you want…I'd like to be your girlfriend…or significant other…or partner…or whatever you wanna call it. I just don't want to keep stringing you along and making you wonder if I feel the same, because I do. And I want you to know that. So…do you…want to, I guess, put a label on this? On what we are to each other?"

Amanda stayed silent for a few moments, but her expression said it all. Her sea green eyes glistened with nothing but love and admiration for Kasey. She knew how hard it was for Kasey to get that out; the Hunter was never that good with putting her emotions and feelings into words.

She pulled Kasey down next to her on the bed, their bodies flush against each other. This closeness and this kind of peace was something they both needed. Neither of them were ever too obvious about how they felt. In the eyes of the citizens of the Last City and other Guardians, they always had to put on a strong face. But everyone needs to unwind and let out their pent-up anger and sadness at some point. And knowing they could count on each other for that was a blessing in its own right.

"I'd love to," Amanda whispered as she placed a soft kiss on Kasey's cheek.

They stayed in that position: arms wrapped around each other, Amanda's head tucked under Kasey's chin. And they found comfort in it. And Kasey knew, this wasn't just what she wanted, but it was what she needed.

* * *

 **A/N: surprise, I'm not dead! But it's certainly been a while. I hope this long chapter makes up for my absence. Obviously with college happening I haven't had that much time for writing for fun. And also, DESTINY 2! Oh man, Destiny 2 is incredible. I'm so excited for how I'm going to continue this fic into the D2 story.**

 **Because of that plan, I'll be moving through the Vault of Glass and Crota battles fairly quickly, and I won't really be focusing on the Oryx fight in great detail as none of the three characters we're following will be going against the Taken King (but Naveed…remember him from way back? He'll be doing it!).**

 **My main focus is really going to be moving into the Rise of Iron/SIVA plot, how Kasey get involved, and then continuing into the Destiny 2 story.**

 **Stay tuned!**

 **\- lgbtdestiny**


	10. Just Hold On

**A/N: we'll be gearing up for the VoG and Crota fights in the next couple chapters. It will also be more focused on Kasey again, with a small snippet of Arlo's story-line to help progress toward the Vault of Glass.**

* * *

Chapter 10 – Just Hold On

"… _all Light must be devoured so Darkness can reclaim the Universe."_

A smile instantly lit up Kasey's face when she woke up to Amanda still sleeping soundly beside her. She was beyond happy that she had finally found the courage to put a label on their relationship. Being able to truly acknowledge Amanda as her girlfriend was a step in the right direction for Kasey. She was committed to the blonde, that was for sure, but the Hunter was still struggling to admit to herself just how much she loved Amanda. It was still too hard for her to make that leap.

"Morning, sleepy head," Kasey mumbled before she kissed Amanda's cheek.

Amanda grumbled something incoherent before she met Kasey's eyes with her own. "I think this is the first time you've ever been awake before me," she said with a playful grin.

"I have stuff to do," Kasey replied with a shrug.

"Really, like what? You always like to sleep in whenever you can."

Kasey sat up in the bed, rubbing the back of her neck as she stretched out her back and arms a little. "Well, I need to see how Tatum is doing. Then I have to talk to Ikora again…decide if I want to wait until Tatum is back to one-hundred percent or if I want to just go at Sardon on my own." Kasey's suggestive tone already told Amanda that she had made up her mind already regardless, and Kasey glanced back at Amanda when she felt the blonde's hand rest on her shoulder.

"Can't you find another Guardian to take with you if you choose to go right back to the Cosmodrome? I mean…I know I'm not fully aware of the power these enemies have, but I know enough about the Hive hierarchy. Sardon is a disciple of Crota. That's some pretty powerful stuff…"

"You think I can't handle him alone."

Amanda shook her head instantly. "It's not that. I just…I worry. If he was strong enough to wound Tatum so badly the first time, even with your help, I don't want to imagine what he could do to-,"

"But what happened to Tatum was my fault," Kasey said, cutting off Amanda's words. "I should have been more assertive with our battle plan. And…I don't want to put another Guardian in potentially the same situation. If I go alone, then at least I know he won't be able to hurt anyone else. But I'm gonna talk it over with Ikora again before I make a final decision."

The fact that Kasey was willing to put her own life on the line if it meant another Guardian wouldn't be hurt by Sardon showed how selfless she could be at times. And while Amanda knew that Kasey's slight hero complex definitely had something to do with it, she knew that deep down, the Hunter really did care about her fellow Guardians. She wanted to be the one to kill Sardon and gain the glory from that, but she also didn't want someone she would probably barely know to potentially die a senseless death just because she felt she wasn't strong enough to take down Sardon by herself. It was its own paradox, but Amanda knew Kasey had already made up her mind, and nothing anyone could say would deter her from her decision.

Amanda nodded before she got out of the bed, quickly throwing on her clothes from the previous day. She really needed to be more prepared to stay with Kasey and just keep some of her stuff here.

"Well, whatever you decide," the blonde started, "just tell me before you leave. I don't want to worry even more."

Kasey's eyes squinted slightly as a soft, genuine smile came to her lips. "Of course I will. But really, I'll be fine. You know I'll always come back."

Amanda rolled her eyes as she turned to face the Hunter, and she rested her arms over Kasey's shoulders. "Yeah, well, when you love someone you tend to worry about them when they decide to go out and fight a god."

Kasey let out a breath of a laugh as she looked down at her feet. She couldn't help but feel her heart beat faster whenever Amanda told her that she loved her. It was such a strong emotion, such a strong commitment to someone, and it was something that people often took for granted.

The Hunter looked back at Amanda, a somewhat proud and goofy grin on her face. "Soon to be god killer," Kasey said, which elicited a smile and a soft laugh from the blonde.

There was just something about Kasey's expression that lessened Amanda's worry. The way the Hunter's deep brown eyes glinted with determination let Amanda know that Kasey would most certainly be killing Crota soon enough. It was almost as if Kasey was making a silent promise that Amanda wouldn't lose her. It was comforting in a way, and Amanda appreciated it.

* * *

Tatum woke up for the second time in the Warlock Hospital. The bed wasn't uncomfortable, but in the short time she had been in the Tower, she had already managed to make her living quarters feel cozy, and she wanted to go back to her own bed as quickly as possible. Although, she apparently still needed another four or five days for recovery.

"Ah…she's awake."

Tatum's eyes instantly followed the sound of Kasey's voice. Her heart basically soared at the sight of the Hunter, and she almost hated that she allowed herself to be swept under Kasey's odd sort of charm already.

"You were kind of dead when I checked on you the other night," Kasey continued as she took a seat next to Tatum's bed.

"Yeah well I guess that can happen when you do nearly die," Tatum answered, a hint of a grin coming to her lips.

Kasey gently nudged Tatum with her elbow as she raised her eyebrows. "Don't do that again. You scared me." The Hunter laughed softly after and kept a light expression, but there was sincerity behind her words – an unspoken message that she really did care about Tatum. It was a little strange to Kasey: she didn't have many friends, and she could count the people she genuinely trusted on one hand. So for Tatum to be pushing her way into that small circle of those Kasey cared about so soon was a little startling to the Hunter.

"But uh, I did just want to, um…with Sardon and all…we have to eliminate him as soon as possible," Kasey continued, shifting in her chair a bit. "I really want you to be there to do this with me, but we can't afford to wait that long. You still have at least several more days of recovery. We caught Sardon in the middle of a ritual…who knows how far he could get in that ritual if we wait."

"So…you're gonna have to find someone else to go with you then?" Tatum asked. While she really wanted to finish what they had started, Tatum understood the threat Sardon posed, especially since he was right there beneath the Cosmodrome. Kasey was right, they couldn't wait much longer. Every hour was a chance for Sardon to grow stronger.

Kasey shook her head and pressed her lips together as she glanced away from Tatum for a few moments. "I'm not finding anyone." When she looked back at Tatum, the implication was clear.

"Whoa…okay, no. You-you saw what he did to me. Why can't you just find another Guardian to go with you? You don't have to do this alone."

A part of Tatum panicked at Kasey's notion that she wouldn't be taking someone with her to finish Sardon. While she couldn't deny anymore that she most certainly had a crush on the Hunter, she just genuinely cared about her too. Tatum was just beginning her quest to finding answers about this destructive Universe she was brought back into, and Kasey was someone who she could see herself with every step of the way. She couldn't imagine potentially losing the Hunter so early.

"It's because of what he did to you and countless other Guardians that I won't take someone else. I can do this. No one else has to suffer," Kasey answered with a matter-of-fact tone.

Tatum knew there was no point in trying to convince Kasey otherwise. The Hunter was characteristically stubborn, and her mind was already made up. The most she could do was hope and pray that Kasey made it back alive.

After a few more moments of silence between them, Tatum nodded. "You do what you have to do," she said, giving Kasey a soft yet sad smile. She was scared for the Hunter; there was no doubt about that.

"Don't worry about me, please. I can handle myself," Kasey replied. For a rare moment, Kasey's eyes were bright with hope. She knew she could do this. She had done so many things on her own as it was, and killing Sardon was no different.

Tatum rolled her eyes at the Hunter. "You know I will. I'll be lying in this bed doing nothing productive while you're off killing one of Crota's disciples. Such an awesome feeling." The sarcasm in Tatum's voice elicited a genuine laugh from Kasey.

"You'll be back out there soon enough," Kasey said as she stood up, and she rested her hand on Tatum's shoulder and gave the Warlock a knowing look that said 'Relax. I'll be fine' before she turned and left.

And there Tatum was again, overwhelmed by her early feelings for Kasey, and there was nothing she could do about it.

* * *

"So, what's our next step?"

"Your next step is simple: reach the heart of the Vault of Glass and eliminate Atheon."

Arlo blinked at Zavala and stared back at the Titan Vanguard in slight shock at how blunt he was. While Zavala was always determined to get things done, he always had an aura of compassion and worry for his Guardians whenever he spoke of sending them off on a difficult mission.

But, Arlo gathered his composure quickly and nodded. "And, um, when is the target time for us to do that?"

"Don't think I'm asking you to leave right this second," Zavala answered. "There's still much to learn about the Vault. So, over the next couple weeks, gather your Fireteam and learn everything you can about the Vex, Atheon, and why the Vault is so important to them. I know the information you pulled from the Archive isn't extensive, but that's all we have, so we should make use of it."

Arlo set his mouth in a determined line as he nodded again. "Will do. Thanks, Commander."

"Report back to me regularly before you leave. The Vex are the most dangerous and elusive enemy we know. I want to make sure you're prepared on every front before you face them."

Zavala's tone was a bit softer on his last statement, and that's what Arlo was somewhat waiting for. It was the kind of tone that said 'Be careful.' Zavala always took it insanely hard whenever a Guardian was lost on a mission, not to mention one where potentially six of them could die.

Arlo gave a salute to Zavala before he began walking down the Hall of Guardians. He already knew he wanted Amina and Grayson to be a part of this. They helped him kill the Nexus Mind; they were deserving of a spot on the team that would be charging right into the Vex stronghold. Kasey was his next go-to. As for the other two, well…he would have to do some searching.

* * *

Kasey's mind was made up. She knew she would have to kill Sardon on her own. Ikora wasn't too happy when Kasey told her, but she knew there was nothing she could do to make Kasey rethink her decision. Sardon had killed so many Guardians before, and while Ikora didn't want to doubt the Hunter's abilities, she was still nervous about her going back alone.

The Hunter chose not to stop by and see Tatum again, and instead she headed directly from the Hall of Guardians to the Hangar. She felt a small pang of guilt at the notion that she wasn't telling Tatum that she was leaving already. But the Warlock was already disappointed that she wouldn't be able to finish the mission with the Hunter, and Kasey figured it would be best if she worried as little as possible about her.

Kasey raised her eyebrows and gave a cheeky smile as she approached Amanda at her little work station. The blonde returned the smile, but Kasey could see the worry still prevalent in her deep green eyes.

"Leaving already, I presume?" Amanda asked, leaning against one of the metal tables behind her.

"Might as well get this over with. I'm ready for it. No reason to wait."

Amanda nodded to another shipwright to bring up Kasey's ship before she turned back to the Hunter. "Well, don't keep me waiting here too long," she said, giving Kasey a light punch on her shoulder.

"Me? Keeping you waiting? Never," Kasey answered with a playful yet charming smile, and Amanda could have sworn she fell for the Hunter all over again in this moment.

Kasey saw her ship rise onto the Hangar deck out of the corner of her eye. She sighed out softly before she turned her eyes back to Amanda, and she found the blonde looking back at her with the same worried expression as before.

"Seriously though, be careful please," the shipwright said quietly.

Kasey pulled Amanda into a warm embrace, kissing her forehead as she did. "I'll be fine," she answered, letting herself relax for a short moment when she felt Amanda's arms wrap around her shoulders. Kasey gave Amanda another soft kiss, this time on her lips, before she headed down to the Hangar deck to her ship.

The Hunter hated leaving Amanda like this, because, if she was being honest with herself, there _was_ a good chance she might not come back from this. She would never, _ever_ say that out loud to Amanda, but she had to understand the reality of the situation herself. While he had a violent and murderous past, Sardon had existed as a quiet threat for a little while now. Only a few Guardians had encountered him in more recent years, and they had retreated in protection of their lives once they saw his powerful ability to wield the Darkness. Kasey knew he wouldn't hesitate to kill a Guardian; none of the Hive would. But she was okay with that. She had to be.

Once Kasey entered her ship, she had her Ghost set their destination to the Cosmodrome. Thankfully, it wasn't too long of a trip, so she could look forward to getting right back at Sardon fairly quickly.

"You ready for this?" Brian asked as the ship's engines fired up.

Kasey nodded with confidence, she couldn't allow any negativity to potentially enter her thoughts. "Let's do it," she answered, her lips set in a firm line and her expression unwavering as her ship took off, soaring over the Last City, which was soon just a blur in the distance.

Several minutes later, a transmission from the Tower came through.

"So, you are the Guardian brave enough to take on Sardon alone?"

Kasey didn't recognize the deep, raspy voice of the woman on the other end of the transmission. She gave Brian a quizzical look before she shrugged. Clearly the woman was waiting for an answer.

"Yeah, um…do I know you?"

"No, but you may have heard of me. I am Eris Morn."

Ah, yes, Kasey knew exactly who she was. Eris was part of the first Fireteam that attempted to kill Crota. They had failed, and Eris was the only member of the Fireteam to make it out of the Hellmouth alive. Kasey even recalled seeing Eris in the Tower on her occasional visit to the Vanguard. Eris was also one of the few Guardians to know extensive information about the Darkness, and, Kasey knew she would have to go to Eris if she couldn't sort out her situation involving the dark magic she believed she possessed now on her own.

"You've been mentioned to me before," Kasey replied.

"Very well. I do admire your bravery with this, but Sardon grows stronger every day. He is one of the biggest fronts of Crota's army. You must succeed, Guardian. Crota has destroyed our moon, and if we don't stop Sardon, I fear Earth will suffer the same fate."

 _Well that was encouraging_ , Kasey thought, and she nearly let out a dry laugh at how pessimistic Eris sounded, almost as if she had no faith in the Hunter at all.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of him," Kasey said, determination clear in her voice.

The transmission cut out without another word from Eris, and Kasey raised her eyebrows as she looked over at Brian, a mildly confused expression on her face.

"Well," Brian started, "That was…interesting."

"Can't blame her for being so curt," Kasey replied. "I can't even begin to imagine what she went through while she was trapped in the Hellmouth."

Brian tilted his mechanical body forward as a nod, and they fell into a poignant silence as they soared through the air, nearing the Cosmodrome. Kasey remembered all the horror stories she was told about Eris' fated trip into the Hellmouth, about how merciless the Hive were, about how Eris watched her Fireteam murdered one by one. Kasey didn't believe the stories the first several times she heard them.

She wished she had.

* * *

As her feet hit the snow-covered ground of the Blast, Kasey would be lying if she said she wasn't a bit nervous, especially since she was greeted with an all-out war going on between the Fallen and Hive right now. She would have to make it through this to get to the Refinery first before she could even think about getting to Sardon.

While it was certainly an extra drag, it wasn't hard to bypass the Fallen and Hive. There were plenty of areas of cover; downed ships, twisted metal structures, and piles of looted crates by the Fallen were scattered throughout the Blast. Kasey made her way across the battle field quickly, sprinting and sliding from each area of cover. She managed to stay out of sight from the Fallen, but once she approached the entrance to the Refinery, the Hive noticed her.

She tossed her vortex grenade, and it slowed the couple Knights just enough for her the jump over them and continue to sprint into the mouth of the Refinery. Just as she rounded the corner, she heard the distinct, bone-shattering shriek of Omnigul, one of the most powerful Hive Wizards. Kasey thanked the Traveler she made it into the Refinery just in time. She also knew Omnigul's presence on Earth was a bad sign. It meant the Hive were growing even stronger. So, Kasey decided to forget she had even heard that shriek.

Thankfully, she and Tatum had cleared the few hallways of Hive that led to the Grottos. They had killed the Blade of Crota Knight that had been guarding the entrance the last time, and another Knight hadn't arrived yet since she had returned to the Refinery so quickly.

Kasey slowed to a walking pace when she entered the Hive tunnel that lead to the Grottos. She was instantly put on edge as she travelled deeper through the tunnel. She was so closed in, and she hated that feeling.

But that wasn't the only thing rattling Kasey's nerves. The humming had returned, and it wasn't from the dark magic that lurked in the Grottos. This was surrounding her, and she felt it too. It was coursing through her veins, shooting down her spine, and clouding her mind. She felt a shiver go through her, and as she neared the entrance to the Grotto, she noticed a dark mist rising and floating in front of her.

She looked down, and she wished she hadn't, because the dark mist was originating from her palms. Kasey turned her head to Brian, and her Ghost could sense the fearful expression beneath her helmet. He didn't know what to say. How could he? He had never anticipated his Guardian's Light would become corrupted. It was so rare, and the few times it had happened in the history of Guardians, it had always led them down a path of destruction.

"Let's just…get this over with," Kasey got out, and even though her voice was shaking, she entered the Grotto steadily, her hand-cannon ready and her Darkdrinker sword waiting on her back. Call her bold. Call her stupid, even, but she was going to battle this out with Sardon until the end. After all, this was meant to be a sword fight.

She could feel the Void energy swirling inside her, ready to be unleashed. She had her battle planned out: tether him from the start and weaken him as much as possible right away. That would give her an advantage later on. She knew she would need it.

Kasey saw the green cloud where Sardon would be waiting for her. She approached it, knowing it wouldn't take much to summon him. And just like that, the moment she grazed the green mist with her hand, she heard his deep, terrifying screech.

"Hey, asshole, you hurt my friend. I wasn't a fan of that," Kasey said as she channeled her Void energy through her hands, and she launched her tether at Sardon.

The impact stunned him, and in the next moment he was trapped in the tangle of Void Light, desperately trying to escape, but his attempts were futile. Kasey grabbed her Darkdrinker from her back, slashing it hard across Sardon's chest. But his armor was so strong, and she knew it would take much more to even make a dent. Kasey let out a yell as she gripped the sword's hilt tightly with both hands, and she held it outstretched in front of her as she spun in circles, the Void energy of the sword bursting out into Sardon's chest with each slash. By the time Kasey's tether dissipated, there was a large crack in Sardon's armor, stretching from his midsection to his right shoulder.

Once Sardon was free from the tether, he immediately attacked, lunging at Kasey as he swung his sword above his head. Kasey dodged out of the way in time to avoid the blade, but the aftershocks of his attack knocked her back hard against one of the thick Hive pillars, effectively knocking the wind out of her from the impact.

But the Hunter recovered quickly, and she brought her sword up in defense against Sardon's own, their blades clashing together with such force a burst of purple and green mist shot out from where their blades met.

Kasey heard the shrieks of Acolyte reinforcements, and she knew this fight was about to get a whole lot tougher. She parried another one of Sardon's attacks and dodged to her left, quickly bringing her sword forward and effectively slicing through Sardon's right shoulder, weakening his dominant side even more. Kasey took the couple seconds she had to toss her grenades in the direction of the Acolytes, killing several and slowing the rest down. She needed to give herself as much time as possible to focus only on Sardon.

The Fist of Crota charged at her again, and he slammed the ground with his sword. This time, Kasey was prepared as she jumped backwards out of reach of the strong shockwaves of his attack. Once the ground was clear, Kasey engaged Sardon at close range again. Luckily, the Acolytes in the Grottos couldn't hit her that well as they had shifted behind another thick pillar, which provided much needed cover from their shots.

The sound of blades clashing filled the Grottos, and even though Sardon was physically stronger than Kasey, she was able to combat him effectively with well-timed dodges and attacks. She had landed some hard jabs and slashes on Sardon, and he was visibly weaker, the gashes in his shoulder and chest leaking with whatever mist-liquid type thing the Hive called blood.

But Kasey was getting worn down as well. She had her own deep cut on her left forearm, and the armor there and on her hand was now caked with blood while more continued to drip from the wound. Her chest armor was also weak from taking several careless hits, and she wasn't sure Brian could sufficiently repair it enough as her fight with Sardon continued, and she knew taking another hit there wouldn't be pretty.

Kasey could feel the exhaustion coursing through her, but the adrenaline from being so close to eliminating a major Hive threat was more powerful, and it pushed her to keep going. She also felt something else. There it was again: that familiar humming of the Darkness, that dark energy boiling within her, and she had no idea what would happen if it were released.

She blocked more attacks from Sardon and was able to land a couple hard slashes, and the second time she slammed her blade into his shoulder, she tore through it, and Sardon let out a pained screech as his right arm fell onto the ground. But he was an expert fighter, and he managed to take his sword in his left hand and lunge at the Hunter before she could come back with another swing.

Kasey felt something hit her left midsection, but the humming she had heard moments before was now a roaring in her ears and it clouded her mind too much for her to focus on anything else, and the intricate grooves on the blade of her sword were now filled with blackish-green mist. She felt a surge of strength, and with her left arm she swung her sword into Sardon's midsection while she launched herself right back at the Knight, her right hand radiating with dark magic.

She gripped Sardon's neck, her grasp so strong that he couldn't even pry himself free. She felt the Darkness leave through her fingertips, and Sardon shook and spasmed in front of her as if he was being electrocuted. Kasey dug her fingers into his neck, his armor now fully cracked through, and he screeched in pain, the dark mist now swarming outward to the Acolytes that surrounded them.

Kasey continued to close her hand, cracking through Sardon's chest as she did, and once her hand reached a fist, a violent explosion of dark magic burst from her palm. It originated from Sardon's chest, completely disintegrating him, and it expanded to the Acolytes, engulfing them and killing them one by one. The blast threw Kasey back hard against the Hive pillar, and she fell onto her knees.

Soon, there was silence. The roaring of the Darkness stopped, and that was when Kasey came back to her senses. Her body was shaking from the exhaustion. Or, perhaps, Kasey told herself, it was from the sword that was speared right through the left side of her midsection.

"Fuck…" Kasey muttered, and somehow, she found it in her to stand, using the pillar to her right as support. She let out a small yelp of pain as she gripped the hilt of the sword, trying to steady it as much as she could.

"Kasey," Brian started, frantically floating around her as he tried his best to scan and zap away at the blood that was flowing steadily from the wound. "We need to get you back to the Tower."

"Yeah…yeah I-I'm going," Kasey said, her voice weak and words lightly slurred as she forced her legs to carry her forward.

"I'm piloting your ship here, but you need to get to the surface to be in range for me to scan you in."

Kasey nodded, and a sharp cough escaped her, blood splattering from her mouth onto the inside of her helmet. And against his better judgement since they were still in enemy territory, Brian scanned Kasey's helmet off. If he had a heart, Brian knew it would've broke at the sight of Kasey's face, hair stuck to her face with sweat and red droplets staining her lips and chin.

"Can't we just…I don't know…take the sword out of me?" Kasey asked, her voice even softer now as she let out a whimper of pain. "Because this hurts…a lot…"

"That sword is the only thing keeping you from totally bleeding out," Brian said as his Guardian continued to move forward. He couldn't even begin to imagine the internal damage. Stuff like that was incredibly hard to fix on the fly like this. Kasey needed to get to the Tower and into the hospital so he could properly fix her wounds. But, as was the case with human Guardians, they needed to survive until then, and he could only try his best to prolong that survival.

Kasey used the wall of the tunnels as support. She could feel her energy draining fast, and her vision blurred every now and then. She knew it wouldn't be long until her body went into shock.

Thankfully, the tunnels out to the Refinery were quiet. The Hive had effectively eliminated the group of Fallen she had snuck past earlier, and Omnigul had left. Kasey was alone now with only the sound of her heart pounding and her short, shallow breaths. She saw her ship waiting for her, and it only took several more steps before Brian was able to scan her in. He started them on their course back to the Tower immediately, and Kasey collapsed on the floor in another fit of coughs.

"Sit up, Kasey," Brian said, keeping his voice as calm as possible as he turned his attention back to his Guardian.

Kasey listened, and she crawled over to the little, rectangular cut in the wall she used as a makeshift bed in her ship, and she propped herself up against the base of it. She could feel herself become even weaker by the second, and she let her head drop and eyes close for just a moment.

"No, no, no…Kasey, keep your eyes open, okay? You _have_ to keep your eyes open. I need you to be strong right now. I'm doing everything I can," Brian said. He was able to clean the entry and exit areas of the wound pretty well, and the outward flow of blood had lessened slightly. However, he knew the internal damage was extremely severe, and while he would normally be fine in his ability to revive his Guardian, there were some things he couldn't fix. This wasn't any other Knight sword; this was the sword of the Fist of Crota. There was no way of knowing what kind of dark power this sword had and whether or not it was hurting Kasey even more.

Kasey's mind, on the other hand, was a total blur. She wasn't sure if she should be scared or not. After all, she had been revived countless times before by Brian. Death was something that came inevitably for Guardians. Then again, she thought, she had never been impaled by the sword of the next thing down from a Hive God before.

Kasey was well aware of an intense throbbing throughout the entire left side of her body. She knew it was bad, and she was glad she couldn't see where the sword had exited her body. She was sure there was something…mangled bits of bone and tissue perhaps.

Her ship rocked a bit, which gave her a jolt of awareness, and through the front windows she saw the Tower up ahead. _Well, I made it this far_.

There was another small rock as the ship touched down in the Hangar, and Brian dropped the ship's ramp before he floated out, seeking the nearest Hunter medic. As expected, there was one waiting right by the stairs leading to the Hangar's main level.

"Quick," Brian said. "Sword wound. Lodged right through her stomach." He turned around, his blue center glowing brightly in alert as he searched the Hangar. "Now…where's Holl- ah…Amanda!" he exclaimed as loud as he could. Even from his position, Brian saw the panic flash across the shipwright's face when she noticed Kasey, and she abandoned her position in her usual Hangar spot instantly.

The Hunter medic basically sprinted to Kasey's ship where he found her trying, on her own, to stand again.

"Hey, hey…let me help you," he said, taking Kasey's left arm and putting it over his shoulders. Kasey just nodded in response. She was trying her hardest to keep her eyes open, but she felt them shutting more often now.

"Kasey!"

The Hunter's eyes shot open again at the sound of Amanda's voice, and soon the blonde was by her side, taking her right arm over her shoulders, supporting Kasey even more.

"Hey Holliday," Kasey managed, and despite her pain, a genuine yet weak smile graced her bloodstained lips. And while her feet kept moving, Kasey felt her eyes closing again.

"No, absolutely not," Amanda said. "You do not close your eyes on me, okay? Stay awake for me." The blonde was surprised at how well she was hiding her panic. This was what she was always afraid of: that Kasey would come back with some horrible injury, and there would be nothing she could do to help her.

If she was strong enough to, Kasey would have laughed. But, she could only nod, and she forced her eyes open again. She saw the entrance to the Hunter's hospital ahead, and she willed herself to keep going.

But as her vision was blurring, so was her hearing. All she could hear were muffled shouts from Brian and the Hunter to her left, and Amanda's voice to her right, probably telling her to stay awake and keep going or something like that, but Kasey wouldn't know.

Kasey couldn't even form coherent thoughts at this point. Her body was exhausted and totally depleted, and all she wanted to do was just…fall asleep, as simple as that sounded. And whatever happened, happened. _But, wait…no,_ Kasey thought. Whatever happens, happens wasn't what she should be thinking right now. She didn't come this far just to die to anything less than Crota himself. She had much more to accomplish as a Guardian. This wasn't where it ended.

And as she let her eyes shut again, she told herself she was going to make it.

* * *

To say she was worried about Kasey was an understatement. Amanda didn't think she would ever be able to describe the feeling she experienced when she saw Kasey barely make it out of her own ship, her armor coated in the crimson color of her own blood, with a Hive sword lodged right through her midsection. It was a feeling of pure panic and desperation. It was a realization that this young woman she had fallen in love with might lose her life and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

It was a terrifying feeling for Amanda. And, the look Kasey gave her in those moments when they brought her into the hospital broke her heart. It was almost as if the Hunter knew she might die her final death, and she looked so scared.

Amanda hadn't returned to the Hangar that night. She had been a nervous wreck for the past two days. She hadn't been allowed to see Kasey; the Hunter was in surgery for nearly twelve hours, and then she needed all the time she could to recover enough before someone could be let in to see her. And now, Amanda was right back in the Hunter hospital, waiting for an update on how Kasey was doing. Almost as if the universe was reading her thoughts, the Hunter medic that had helped Kasey on that terrible night, James, approached her.

"She's still asleep," he said, his brown eyes soft with sympathy as he looked at Amanda. "But, you can go to her room now."

Amanda nodded, and she allowed the older Hunter to lead her to where they had put Kasey. It was something Amanda never thought would happen. In Kasey's nearly six years as a Guardian now, she had actually never been admitted into the Hunter hospital. She had been so lucky to never have sustained an injury serious enough for that…until now.

After going down several hallways, they finally reached Kasey's room.

"You can stay as long as you'd like," James said as he opened the door. "She's out pretty good, and I'll be in occasionally to check on her vitals and whatnot, but her Ghost will be doing that more often. If you need anything, just call for me."

Amanda nodded again and gave the Hunter a kind smile of appreciation. No one in the Tower really had it easy. Sure, Guardians were the ones fighting and risking their lives, but everyone in the Tower had to deal with their…collateral damage, Amanda thought, for lack of a better term. The medics and doctors of the hospitals dealt with the most gruesome injuries and the pressure of truly saving a life. And should someone be in a relationship with a Guardian, well, Amanda knew first-hand of all the stress that came with that.

The blonde woman let out a sigh when she saw Kasey. The Hunter was definitely knocked out, and the only sound in the room at the moment was her soft exhales of breath. A sad smile came to Amanda's lips; it comforted her knowing Kasey was able to rest and take time to recover, but this time of quiet and peace for Kasey came from an immense amount of pain.

Brian perked up when he heard the door close behind Amanda, and he floated toward the blonde. He knew she would be the first person in here. He almost regretted calling her that night; he figured she would be traumatized from seeing Kasey like that. But, he felt compelled to do it. He knew how close Amanda and Kasey were, and he thought it would only be right if they were there for each other no matter how bad the situation might be.

"Um…how's she doing?" Amanda asked.

"She'll be fine, and she'll need at least a couple weeks of proper recovery here. It was…well…a tough surgery to get that sword out. I…don't think you want to hear the details," Brian answered as he turned his shell body toward his Guardian.

Amanda shook her head as she pulled up a chair next to Kasey's bed. "No. I couldn't bear to think that she might have been in even more pain than when I saw her then."

Brian tilted himself downward in a nod. "She was strong. I honestly…I didn't think she was going to make it. On the trip back here…it was hard."

"I don't know how she managed to keep going that long. I mean…that's not an insanely short trip. But it was lucky…if you two had been anywhere further…"

The heavy silence that filled the room said exactly what was on both their minds, and Amanda bit her lip hard, forcing herself to hold back her tears. She rarely cried. In fact, the only person who could say they ever saw her cry would be Kasey. Oh, what the Hunter could do to Amanda's feelings.

Amanda's eyes scanned over Kasey. The Hunter was so vulnerable right now. The loose shirt she was put in had allowed the deep gash on her arm to breathe, and it was now covered in what Amanda could tell were fresh bandages. Kasey's hands were covered in small cuts, and when Amanda went to take one of the Hunter's hands in her own, she noticed a slight dark coating on Kasey's palms.

"What's that from?" Amanda asked.

Brian hesitated for a moment before he settled on the easiest answer. "That's something for her to tell you about."

Amanda nodded before she took Kasey's hand in hers, lacing their fingers together as she kept her eyes on the Hunter. She couldn't help but feel a wave of relief wash over her. For once, in the nearly six years Amanda has known Kasey, the Hunter would be allowed to just…rest. Amanda couldn't think of a time Kasey had ever taken a break, even for just a few days. Kasey was always going out on missions, constantly subjecting herself to immense physical and mental exhaustion, and, as was seen a couple nights ago, always throwing herself in the way of death.

Amanda felt the grip on her hand tighten ever so slightly, and when she glanced up she was met with soft yet tired hazel eyes. The blonde let a light smile come to her lips, her heart beating a little faster when she felt Kasey give her hand a gentle squeeze, a small gesture letting the shipwright know that she was okay now.

"Hey," Kasey got out, her voice quiet and weak, which was pretty much how her entire body felt right now. She just had no energy at all. Then again, she figured it was probably normal to feel this way given that she had, well, nearly died a couple days ago.

"Hey," Amanda said back. "How ya holdin' up?"

"Well for someone who just had a sword taken out of her stomach…I'd say I'm…doing just fine."

Amanda relaxed a bit and let out a breath of a laugh at Kasey's ability to still manage a witty, sarcastic response.

"I'm sorry, by the way," Kasey continued.

The blonde squinted her eyes at the Hunter. "What for?"

Kasey shook her head and glanced away for a moment, hoping Amanda didn't notice the tears coming to her eyes. "I…I should've listened to you and Ikora. I shouldn't have done that alone. I thought I could handle him on my own. I don't know why I-,"

"No…there's nothing to apologize for," Amanda said, stopping Kasey from her rambling. "You _did_ handle him alone. If you didn't kill him…"

"I wouldn't have come back," Kasey finished, and she shifted her gaze back to Amanda, their eyes meeting in silent understanding.

"Does it scare you?" Amanda asked.

"What?"

"Death. Like…permanent death."

Kasey took several moments to think about her answer. It certainly wasn't anything they really talked about before. Then again, they never had to because Kasey had never had a run in with death like this before. Permanent death, as Amanda had said. And, it was never something Kasey had thought about extensively before either. It was a Guardian's job to go out and fight the battles ordinary people couldn't. It was their job to protect the citizens of the Last City and even those that continued to live beyond the City walls. Kasey was too busy to let the thought of death cross her mind. To her, it was something a Guardian accepted from the start.

Losing Tris had been Kasey's first experience with a permanent death. It certainly traumatized her, but she managed to keep going. Her entire dedication to fighting her way back to Crota was all about getting revenge on the monster that had taken Tris' life. Again, the possibility of death was never something she had even thought about along the way.

But now, things were different. She had found a way to let herself open her heart to someone again and trust that person with every fiber of her existence. And, Amanda wasn't a Guardian. She didn't have to worry about her dying outside the City walls the way she did with Tris. She could count on Amanda to be there for her whenever she returned from a stressful mission where something horrible would happen. Not even that, but Kasey just genuinely looked forward to coming back to the Tower because she knew Amanda would be there in the Hangar.

It was a rare thing for a Guardian to have someone back at the Tower that made them feel safe. Kasey considered herself lucky. It was a feeling she appreciated every moment of whenever she was with Amanda, and it was something she wished she never had to leave whenever she would go out the next day on another mission. She went out there fighting every day with two purposes: to avenge Tris' senseless death by Crota's blade and to make sure no threat reached the Tower. It was for Amanda's safety, and while Kasey knew the shipwright could certainly handle herself, she still felt obligated to protect her no matter the cost. After all, she was a Guardian, and that's what she was supposed to do.

And, Kasey thought, she didn't want to lose any of this. This life she created for herself, this second chance she had been given, and this relationship she had developed with Amanda were things that mattered to her. They kept her going every single day, and they were things she never wanted to let go of. The only thing that could take it all away from her was death.

As she shook her head, Kasey had her answer.

"It doesn't scare me," she said quietly. "It terrifies me."

* * *

 **A/N: it's been a little while since I've updated…things happen *cough* college *cough*. But, I had time to write over my winter break, and I hope this lengthy chapter makes up for my absence and that you are continuing to enjoy the story. This was a very Kasey-centric chapter as I wanted to shape her characteristics even more. I'm also very much enjoying the Kasey/Amanda relationship, and it'll be nice to see them grow even more as a couple throughout the story. I hope you like them together as well.**

 **As you can see, I'm moving forward with Kasey's battle with the Darkness. I'm really interested in exploring my ideas about how corrupted Light would affect a Guardian, so Kasey is in for some really interesting things.**

 **Let me know what you think by leaving a review…positive thoughts, ideas, and constructive criticism are always welcome. I know exactly where I'm taking this story in the coming chapters, and I'm excited about being able to continue it into the Destiny 2 universe.**

 **Happy reading!**

 **-lgbtdestiny**


	11. Tatum, You Have A Crush

Chapter 11

 **A/N: here we'll be focusing on Arlo's story and get Tatum more involved as well. Vault of Glass will be coming up, and I'm very excited to be able to give that beautiful and epic Raid another dimension through a narrative format!**

* * *

" _Linked by a network unlike any on Earth, they operate in unison, directed by a single unfathomable purpose."_

 _*One week later*_

To say Arlo was frustrated throughout his further studies of the Vex and the Vault of Glass was an understatement. He was absolutely perplexed by how little the Vanguard and Guardians knew about the Vex even after decades of fighting and studying them. It almost seemed as if Guardians had never really encountered the alien species at all. Then again, given the Vex' ability to manipulate reality, Arlo wouldn't be surprised if that turned out to be an entirely valid possibility.

Once Zavala told him to start gathering a Fireteam to prepare to head into the Vault, Arlo spent the majority of his time since then in the Tower library reading up on everything he could about the Vex. He was sure he had gone through a hundred books by now. He was trying everything: from Pahanin's accounts of how Kabr went mad inside the Vault to Kabr's own writings, and he found one especially interesting – one that mentioned some sort of shield Kabr created to combat the Vex. In the end, these books and writings only left Arlo with more questions than answers.

Maybe, he thought, they shouldn't even expect anything in the first place. The Vex were the most mysterious enemy species Guardians had ever encountered, and their motive remained relatively unknown. However, there was one piece of the Vex puzzle that _was_ put in place: every study, every investigation, led back to Atheon within the Vault of Glass – it had been given the added name of Time's Conflux. Everything the Vex did, everywhere they went, and anything that passed along their intricate ways of manipulating time and space, it flowed through Atheon and the Vault. Whatever it was that the Vex were hoping to accomplish, Atheon was at the center of it. Therefore, it had to be eliminated.

Arlo knew Grayson and Amina were locks in his Fireteam. Grayson had made it clear plenty of times to Arlo that he felt as if he was getting restless just going about his normal Guardian responsibilities. He wanted to be part of something bigger, something 'epic' was how he had put it. _Well, this is his chance_ , Arlo thought. Although, the Titan worried sometimes that Grayson's eagerness to take on a massive enemy might cloud his reasoning and true awareness of just how dangerous something like going into the Vault could be.

Putting together a team for a Raid was no small task. It took a lot of searching, and Arlo had to be absolutely sure that all six Guardians would mesh and work well together. And, it also took some discretion. Being tasked with a Raid protocol was no small matter. Of course, Guardians all across the Universe had heard the stories of fated Fireteams being completely wiped out by none other than Crota. However, if too many Guardians knew another Fireteam was being assembled, rumors would no doubt start to spread, and the Vanguard couldn't risk that. So, Arlo had to be extremely careful of who he would put his confidence in during this recruiting process.

But above all, forming the right team meant that all six Guardians had to be on the same page about where their mission could potentially lead them. There had been plenty of Fireteams lost in the Vault before. They weren't necessarily trying to eliminate Atheon; they just wanted to learn more about the Vex and what they were capable of. The scary thing was that no one really knew if those teams were alive or dead, and if they were alive, no one would ever know what was happening to them in the Vault. They had simply been lost within the constructs of time and space that the Vex had created.

Arlo knew that he would need to take the appropriate measures in finding the right Guardians for something like this. He needed to make sure that they were up to the mental and physical demands going into the Vault would make. And, Arlo would need a team of Guardians who were okay with knowing they might never come back.

The Titan figured Zavala would want him to venture to the Vault in about a week or so, which would give him adequate time to find a team. After all, once a major threat was detected, the Vanguard and Guardians in general never liked to sit back for longer than necessary. It was imperative that they find a solution to the Vault as soon as they were ready.

Arlo determined he would set out to find Kasey and ask her to join him before anyone else. He hadn't seen the Hunter since he had left with Grayson and Amina to eliminate the Nexus Mind, and he knew Kasey had ventured out a couple times with Tatum during that span, so a little catching up was certainly in store for them.

He could have easily pinged Kasey's ghost, but Arlo never liked to intrude in case the Hunter was busy or simply didn't want to be bothered; the Titan knew well enough that Kasey had plenty of days like that. So, he headed to the Hangar. He knew if anyone could tell him where Kasey was, it would be Holliday.

Arlo didn't waste any time walking across the Tower Plaza to the Hangar. On any given day, he would normally stop and chat with some Guardians here and there and take in the scenery of the Tower overlooking the City; it was especially beautiful during the transition from fall to winter. However, he needed to fill his Fireteam in a timely manner, and if Kasey wasn't up for it then he had to know as soon as possible so he could continue his search.

He made eye contact with Holliday as he walked up the stairs to her work station, and the shipwright gave him a warm smile at the sight of a familiar face.

"Hey," Arlo said as he approached Amanda. "Have you seen Kasey around? Got something I need to talk about with her."

At the mention of Kasey, Arlo noticed Holliday's expression falter a bit, and she glanced away for a moment as well.

"Figures she wouldn't have told anyone," Amanda mumbled to herself, internally shaking her head at Kasey's stubbornness. "She's, uh, in the Hunter hospital."

"Wait, what?" Arlo squinted his eyes a bit. "How come?"

"She had a bad run in with a Hive knight…Sardon, I think it was."

"Well then I guess she's not gonna be up to going into the Vault of Glass with me," Arlo returned, letting out a forced huff of a laugh, trying to ease his worry about his friend for the moment. "Can I at least go see her?" he asked after a small moment, slight apprehension in his voice as well.

That put a small smile back on Amanda's face. "Arlo, I might be her girlfriend, but I don't keep her on lockdown. You're her friend. You don't need to ask me permission to see her. She's been a lot better though. Still has a lot of healing to do, but the last week of rest been good for her."

"Yeah, I'm sure she could use it…" Arlo said back, and there was a solemn tone behind his words, and both of them knew what he meant. It was a dark truth, but many times a Guardian was almost relieved if they wound up in the hospital for their respective class. It was a break – so to speak – from the horrors that waited for them beyond the City walls. And, facing that kind of evil nearly every day took a heavy toll on many.

Arlo walked with Holliday over to the Hunter hospital, and he listened to the shipwright talk about what happened to Kasey during her last trip to the Cosmodrome. While Arlo knew it was serious stuff about Sardon trying to grow an army of Hive, the Hive communicating with Crota again, and Omnigul making an appearance on Earth as well, the only thing he truly cared about was that Kasey had made it back alive and that she was doing okay now. He knew he wouldn't be able to grasp just how seriously Kasey was injured, but from the way Amanda's voice changed – fear and worry in her tone, Arlo could tell it had been bad. Amanda told him how Kasey could have died from how horrible her wounds were. Arlo didn't even want to think about that possibility.

Amanda didn't need a nurse to take her to Kasey's room; she had been here enough times over the last week to know her way around. However, to both her and Arlo's surprise, they walked into Kasey's room to find the Hunter and Tatum in some sort of argument. But, both of the Guardians stopped the moment they saw Amanda and Arlo.

Kasey gave Arlo a tight-lipped smile. While she was happy to see the Titan, she was too worked up right now to give him a proper greeting.

"Something going on here you wanna tell me about?" Amanda asked, squinting her eyes as she glanced back and forth from Tatum to Kasey.

"I had to find out, on my own, that she nearly died," Tatum answered, shaking her head. "I was literally waiting for her to tell me how it went. Sardon could have killed me the first time around too, and now, nearly a week passed and I'm _just_ hearing about this! I mean, did you even think to tell me? Did it even cross your mind that I might give a shit about what happened to you?" Tatum finished by turning her attention to Kasey again, the Warlock's deep gray eyes showing both anger and hurt.

Kasey shook her head, running a hand through her brown hair that had since come undone from its usual braid. "Can we not do this anymore? You're here, I'm okay, end of story. There's no reason to get mad over this, and I really don't have the energy to."

Kasey slowly sat down on the edge of the hospital bed, cringing as she did so. She could try and hide it as much as she wanted, but the three others in the room knew how much pain she was in still. There had been so much internal damage from Sardon's sword, and Kasey could only thank the Traveler that she had made it back to the Tower in time.

"I'm sorry," Tatum said, taking a seat next to the Hunter. "I just…you're my mentor, and you're my friend. I was scared."

Kasey nodded as she glanced up, turning her attention to Amanda and Arlo. She felt herself instantly relax when she saw Amanda, the tension in her shoulders easing ever so slightly. Then she smiled to Arlo. It had been a little while since they last saw each other, each of them had gone off on their own missions for a while, carving their own stories. But Kasey was glad to see him now.

"I was looking for you," Arlo started. "Wanted to ask you to come with me to the Vault. We have to eliminate Atheon or whatever threat lurks there. But, you're in no condition for that. Holliday said you could use some good rest, and I believe her. Figured I should still come and see you. Like Tatum, I didn't hear from you, so I was a little worried when I started thinking…"

"Well, I'm here, and I'm alive. That's all that matters," Kasey said back. "It'll definitely be another several days until I'll be ready to go back out there again, but even then, I have a couple other things to take care of with this whole Hive and Crota thing."

"You said you're going to the Vault?" Tatum chimed in, leaning forward a little as she focused her eyes on Arlo. The Exo nodded in response. "When?"

"I have two others in my Fireteam right now, so I still need to do some searching. But, when all is said and done, I hope to get out there within another week or so."

Tatum let her eyes drift to the loose shirt that covered her wound – similar to Kasey's and caused by the same Hive being, but not nearly as severe. She figured her ghost could have everything healed back to one-hundred percent over the next couple days. She nodded as she lifted her gaze back to the Titan.

"I could go with you," she said. "I'll do whatever research I have to do. My Light is strong enough now that-,"

"No it's not. There's no way you can go into the Vault," Kasey interrupted, her voice firm, somewhat harsh even.

"Yes it is, and I can handle it."

" _No_ …it is not. You're not ready for something like that."

"But I _can_ be," Tatum shot back. "You don't get to decide for me right now. You've told me enough times that there will be a day when you won't be there with me. I can make decisions for myself. And, if it turns out I'm not ready, then I'll come back, and I'll let Arlo find someone else."

Kasey let out a huffed breath, agitation setting in quickly. She knew Tatum was right, but something in her didn't want to let go of the Warlock so soon. Tatum was only eighteen, and in Kasey's mind, she had no place in the kind of endeavor Arlo was talking about. Then again, she would be a hypocrite herself if she didn't remember how she had gone in with her Fireteam to try and end Crota back when she was barely twenty.

"Fine," Kasey said, her tone curt and sharp. "But you better learn everything you can about what you're getting yourself into. Guardians don't just die in the Vault. They disappear, erased from time altogether. I'm not trying to scare you or anything. It's just the hard truth."

"Kasey…"

The Hunter looked to Amanda, who was giving her a stern look that silently told her to drop it and let Tatum go with Arlo. Amanda knew it wasn't like Kasey to talk to Tatum this way. Maybe part of it was that Kasey was already itching to get back outside the City walls and do some good for the universe again, but both Amanda and Kasey knew what this hostility was stemming from deep down.

"Sorry," Kasey mumbled, her expression falling slightly, regret in her tone now. "Like you said earlier, you're my friend, and I worry about you. I just want you to know what you're getting yourself into here, and I want you to do whatever you can to make sure you're ready for it."

Tatum nodded, any anger that was growing at Kasey's previous antics instantly fading away, and she mentally berated herself for even getting angry at the Hunter in first place. What right did she have to do that? Kasey had nearly died a week ago. Of course she would be feeling restless and upset that she couldn't immediately get back to her missions. Tatum had felt the same way when she had been in the Warlock hospital. Even though she was still young and continuing to grasp the whole Guardian thing, she already felt that drive to continue her purpose outside the City. Being away from that for even one week was hard.

Tatum went to place her hand over Kasey's, but she stopped along the way and quickly pulled her hand back. So instead, she nodded and stood up from the edge of Kasey's bed.

"It's okay," the Warlock said. "I get it. And, I promise I'll get myself ready. I trust Arlo, and I'll come to see you too if I have any questions or…just want to check in."

Kasey's expression softened, and she allowed herself to give a somewhat lopsided smile to Tatum. She also gave Arlo a small wave, her eyes silently thanking him for coming and also telling him that he had better take care of Tatum, to which the Titan responded with a playful salute.

Tatum exited the room, Arlo following behind her, and soon Kasey and Amanda were left alone together, which was how the Hunter wished it could always be.

The shipwright sat next to Kasey on the edge of the bed, and they both stayed silent for several moments. Kasey knew what was inevitably coming, so she decided to bite the bullet first.

"My moods are all over the place. I even snapped at Tatum. I know I kept myself at a distance when we first met, but I was never like…that, with her. I know she's a smart girl. I would never doubt her ability to make her own decisions. It's worse, isn't it? Whatever is…going on with me and the Darkness. If it's even that."

Amanda sighed, but her expression softened once her eyes met Kasey's. "I know you trust me with this, but I _can't_ help you the way someone like Eris can. I really think you should talk to her. Or at least…someone. Whatever is happening, it's only going to escalate, and neither of us knows what could happen if it gets to a point of no return."

Kasey shook her head at the notion. "I don't even want to think about that. I guess I'm just nervous about this getting out to other Guardians. I mean, I know the chances are slim, but anything with corrupted Light…that's never a small issue."

Amanda rested her hand over Kasey's, which earned a slight smile from the Hunter. But, the shipwright knew something was off. Even she could feel a faint vibration – if that's the word she would use – running along Kasey's palm. It had the slightest hum to it, almost like a small current beneath the Hunter's skin. It was somewhat unsettling to Amanda; she had heard the stories of Guardians who had fallen under the Darkness, Dredgen Yor the most famous one. She knew about the path he had followed – one of terror and murder, treason against other Guardians in the pursuit of strength and power. It was an extreme case, of course, but it was one that could become true again, and Amanda didn't want to leave even the slightest chance that it could happen to Kasey.

"I understand your concerns about that," Amanda replied, intertwining her fingers with Kasey's, a gesture that brought immense relief to the Hunter. "But the risk is too great for you. Please…talk to Eris about it. Or Cayde, maybe? Just, someone other than me, because I'm only human, not a Guardian. I can only help you so much."

Kasey nodded as she kept her eyes on their joined hands. The Darkness terrified her, and she wondered why she was feeling this gravity toward it. She had only used her Light for good during her nearly six short years as a Guardian so far, so why was the Darkness suddenly coming to her like this?

* * *

Arlo brought Tatum to the Tower library after they had left Kasey and Amanda in the Hunter hospital. While the Warlock's Light was certainly strong enough to handle whatever enemies they would encounter in the Vault, she barely knew anything about the Vex as a whole. Like Kasey had mentioned earlier, it was imperative that Tatum read up on everything she could before they ventured to the Vault.

The library was massive. Arlo would never be sure just how many books were here, but he could guess easily hundreds of thousands. It took them a few minutes just to navigate to the section that contained all the books and Guardian accounts of the Vex, and Arlo noticed the slight apprehension in the way Tatum carried herself.

"Something on your mind?" he asked as he began to take down some books from the shelves, ones he instantly recognized and thought would be a good start for Tatum.

"Just a little…put off, I guess, about what happened with Kasey. I thought she would have been encouraging when I said I wanted to take on this mission with you."

Arlo grabbed another book, one by Kabr. Or rather, his accounts of the Vault that had been recovered from his Ghost, just put onto paper. By now, Tatum had ten books stacked in her arms. Arlo figured that was enough to keep her busy for the rest of the day.

"Well, you heard her. You're her friend, and she cares about you. You'll read those books I gave you today, and you'll understand why she was hesitant with letting you do this," Arlo responded, leading Tatum to a small alcove that was decorated with plush chairs, couches, and low tables.

Tatum, however, shook her head. "It's not just that. Kasey has been…weird, ever since we got back from killing those Swarm Princes and destroying Crota's sword." The Warlock mentally berated herself for saying that. She knew Kasey didn't want anyone knowing about what had happened there, and she hoped Arlo wouldn't inquire about it further.

Arlo sighed out, and a small nod of his head followed, his bright blue eyes looking toward his feet. "Going to the Moon has always been tough on Kasey ever since she lost Tris. I'm not at liberty to share all those details with you, though, and I apologize for that. I know it's hard, but try not to let it get to you too much."

The Warlock was relieved that Arlo didn't take the subject into more depth, so she just nodded in return and dropped it. After all, she had bigger things to worry about, such as the Vex and the Vault of Glass, and the stack of books in front of her.

She picked up the one on top, _Theories on the Vex_ , written by someone named Sister Faora, a follower of Osiris. Tatum knew she had heard that name before from Ikora, but she wasn't exactly sure who Osiris was. As a Warlock, she knew she would have to learn about him at some point. _There's so much I don't know,_ Tatum thought. She was discouraged by it if she was being honest with herself. There was so much history she needed to learn, so many famous Guardians she would have to familiarize herself with. But Ikora and Kasey just kept telling her all of that would come with time. She supposed they were right, but it felt so overwhelming to her whenever she would think about all the things that remained unknown to her.

Tatum read through the introduction of the book, where Faora explained her fascination with the Vex, her studies of their purpose, and her banishment from the Tower and the Last City. The last part struck a nerve with Tatum.

"Hey Arlo," she started, and the Titan picked his eyes up from his own book. "Why was Faora banished? She says she just wanted to provide detailed information about the Vex, but-,"

"I know you will have a lot of questions," Arlo interrupted, knowing exactly where Tatum was headed with this. "But please, read through all of it first. It is very likely that your own questions will be answered just by reading what comes next."

Tatum nodded, and she returned to the page in front of her. It had seemed strange to her at first why someone would be banished from the City for simply wanting to give new information about an enemy species, but as she read – and Arlo was right – Tatum discovered that the things Faora and the Disciples of Osiris were trying to do most certainly warranted their banishment. Providing new information about an enemy was one thing, but publicly speaking about an enemy's motive and how they would rather succumb to the Darkness than be sucked into the Vex' plans was on a completely different level, especially since they were spreading this to regular citizens of the City. And, since Guardians already knew so little about the Vex and could only be sure of so many things, Osiris' followers bordered on blasphemous.

However, Tatum put that notion aside for a moment, as Faora's observations about the Vex did provide useful insight. The Disciple talked about how the Vex wanted convergence and symmetry with all other life forms in the Universe. _But what does she mean by 'convergence?'_ Tatum questioned. Convergence how? And when? Did it all have something to do with Atheon? Was that at the center of all this?

Questioned swirled in Tatum's mind as she continued to read. The Warlock was disappointed, but not surprised, that barely any of them were answered by the time she finished her first book.

* * *

In any other situation, Cayde wouldn't feel self-conscious at all about going to visit a Guardian in the Hunter hospital. But, when every pair of eyes in each room he walked through darted to him, he started to get a little uncomfortable. He swore Kasey would owe him big time for this one.

Not too long after Arlo and Tatum left, Kasey had pinged Cayde's ghost, asking if the Hunter Vanguard could persuade Eris Morn to come see her. Cayde couldn't remember exactly how he had convinced Eris to do this, but he was sure the part where he mentioned replacing her ship was the motivating factor. Nonetheless, everyone in the Tower and City knew what happened to Eris and her Fireteam when they had tried to defeat Crota. And after being trapped in the Hellmouth all those years, Eris retained a piece of the Darkness, so of course she would give an eerie vibe wherever she went. That would explain all the nervous glances Cayde was currently receiving from hospital staff and Hunter patients who happened to be roaming the halls.

Cayde nearly let out a sigh of relief when he saw Kasey's room number. He knocked on the door, and once he heard a muffled 'come in,' he pushed the door open and turned to Eris, clasping his hands together.

"Again, I can't thank you enough," he said. "I _promise_ I will get your ship replaced." If Eris still had eyes, Cayde knew she would have rolled them. The Hunter quickly turned his attention to Kasey, and his expression softened when he saw her. Of course, he had been in near-permanent death situations before, but he always felt a shared pain whenever he saw another Guardian go through it too.

"Do you need me to stay?" he asked, keeping his eyes on Kasey.

"I think you should go," Eris answered instead, giving Cayde a light push on his shoulder.

"Oh, so first it's your rock on my map, now you're just…shoving me around. What's next? Casting some weird spell on me?"

Kasey cracked a lopsided grin at Cayde's antics, always appreciating how he could lighten the mood when she needed it most. "Cayde," she started, "it's okay. I'll be just fine."

The Hunter Vanguard nodded in return. While there were questions he wanted to ask Kasey about why she was so eager to speak with Eris, he refrained. He knew there would be a time and place for that later. So, Cayde nodded a second time, and he straightened out his cloak's hood before he turned to leave, closing the door softly behind him.

Kasey could feel Eris' gaze on her still. She was quite intimidated by the older Hunter, and she had reason to be. No other Guardian had witnessed the things Eris had and actually lived to tell of those horrors. Kasey wouldn't lie: she was pretty disappointed in herself for not believing the stories about Eris' Fireteam at first. But once she had seen Crota herself, she instantly believed them.

"I can sense it," Eris said, taking a step toward Kasey. "The Darkness rests with you."

"Yeah…I kind of suspected that already. Something weird happened when I went to the Moon to destroy Crota's sword, and then when I killed Sardon…I don't even know how to describe it. But whatever it is, I want it gone. I don't want to risk becoming a monster. Becoming another Dredgen Yor."

Eris could tell Kasey's intentions were true. She knew Kasey had a good heart, but she also knew that the Darkness didn't care about any of that. After all, Rezyl Azzir – before he had taken on the name of Dredgen Yor – was also a good person and respected by all he met before he allowed himself to fall to the Darkness. Although, Eris wondered if Kasey's willpower was stronger than Dredgen's. The grim truth was that the Darkness had chosen Kasey for a reason. Unlike Eris, where she gradually had her Light corrupted over years and years spent trying to survive in the Hellmouth, Kasey had been pulled to the Darkness. It had called out to her, and she had answered.

"The Darkness is not something that simply leaves," Eris answered. "I, unfortunately, am living proof of that. You responded to its call, and if you continue to let it grow, it will consume you."

"So then how do I make it so that doesn't happen?"

"When did you first encounter the Darkness?"

"When I destroyed Crota's sword," Kasey replied. "I felt like I wanted to use it. I wanted to feel that power."

"That's exactly how Rezyl started on the path to his demise. He craved power, couldn't get enough of it. But thankfully, I know where your own path must head. I will help you on this quest, and when everything is said and done, you will slay Crota with his own weapon."

Kasey narrowed her eyes a bit in confusion. "Wait, how many more swords does he have, exactly?"

"Many. The Swarm Princes make them. The Swordbearers keep them. But you cannot worry about that right now. There are still several things that need to be done before you enter the Hellmouth again. If Sardon had woken and Omnigul was on Earth, it is clear the Hive are trying to summon Crota again and form an army."

"So…what does that mean for me? What do I have to do first?" Kasey asked, her voice cautious and wary of the situation at hand. The Vanguard knew about the Hive's intentions as well, but getting them to cooperate with whatever she would have to do would most likely prove to be difficult, especially if these recommendations were coming from Eris.

"In theory, it is simple. You need to stop the wakening ritual by destroying the Waker's and Crota's soul. But you will have to venture through the World's Grave and into the Chamber of Night. That is where the ritual takes place. And, you must do this alone. We cannot risk another Guardian becoming corrupted with the Darkness."

Everything Eris was saying brought the worst memories back to Kasey. She recalled all the times she had gone with Tris to investigate certain areas around the Hellmouth, the Temple of Crota, and the World's Grave as they tried to learn more about the Hive before they descended into Crota's realm. If anything, those missions had made their relationship stronger than ever, and Kasey had been convinced that Tris would be by her side forever. After all, they were young Guardians and they were in love; the last thing either of them thought about was a permanent death that would come too soon.

Kasey knew she needed to let Tris go. She had allowed herself to open her heart again over the last year to Holliday, but a piece of the Hunter still held on to what could have been with Tris had her new life as a Guardian not ended so quickly as it began. Kasey remembered nights she would stay up with Tris, and they would talk about all the incredible things they would accomplish together – killing Crota had been the first on their list. Instead of becoming legends together, they instead became known as a tragedy much like Eriana-3 and Wei Ning.

After Tris was murdered by Crota, that ambitious flame in Kasey had died a little too. For nearly two years, Kasey had avoided the Moon at all costs, and even the mention of the place brought on series of flashbacks. And it had seemed as if the Hive went dormant for that time too.

But now, the Hive were rising again, and they were determined to summon Crota with them. Kasey wondered if it was really no coincidence that the Darkness had chosen her while this was happening. Perhaps this was the first, true step in her carving her own legend into Guardian's stories for centuries to come. Perhaps she was destined to be the one to bring about the fall of Crota, to be a god slayer.

Yes, Kasey decided, that is what she would keep telling herself as she went through these trials the Darkness would no doubt present to her along these missions.

The Hunter's apprehension quickly vanished, a change that managed to surprise Eris, and she watched Kasey's expression become hard and determined, her lips pressed in a firm line, and her eyes blazing with the need for revenge.

"I can handle this," Kasey said with conviction, nodding to herself as if to make sure she could believe it in her own mind. "I still need a few days of healing to make sure I'm one-hundred percent, but I'm ready for this."

Eris sensed the Darkness within Kasey hum with delight, almost as if it was eager to get back to killing, regardless of what the species was. That was a _very_ thin line Eris hoped Kasey would be able to keep herself from crossing.

"The Darkness continues to grow in you," Eris answered, and her tone was grim, saddened, almost. "When you are facing some of the most intense Hive in the depths of the Chamber, you might have no choice but to use its power."

"I'll try to avoid that at all costs. If I let myself give in, I don't know how far I'll be consumed by it."

"I am not worried about the strength of your willpower. What concerns me is that down there, where the Darkness is at its strongest…you might not even be able to resist it."

* * *

Tatum and Arlo had spent the entire day in the library. While Arlo was confident he had read just about everything he could about the Vex and the Vault of Glass, Tatum still had some catching up to do. The Titan knew Amina and Grayson were well-versed by now with what to expect – or even, what _not_ to expect – in the Vault, and Grayson had actually pinged Arlo's ghost letting him know that he thought he found the perfect Guardians to round out their team. Arlo, however, still hadn't gotten back to Grayson about that as he wanted to stay with Tatum in case the Warlock had any questions.

As it turned out, Tatum had a _ton_ of questions after every major section of whatever book she was reading at the time. Arlo had answered all of them to the best of his ability, and most of the time, the answers to Tatum's questions could have been found in the sequential chapters.

Tatum was currently in the middle of a flimsy, pamphlet-like paper written by Pahanin that spoke briefly of the fall of Kabr in the Vault of Glass, when her focus was broken by a mechanical hand resting on the top of the page. Tatum glanced up to see Arlo's blue eyes looking back at her, and her Ghost perked up to her side as well.

"It's past one in the morning," the Exo said. "I know I don't realistically need sleep, but you do." His mouth tilted up in a smirk, and Tatum found the gesture quite endearing. Throughout their time spent together in the Tower library today, Tatum saw why Kasey was so fond of the Titan.

"I don't even…feel that tired," Tatum replied, yawning in the middle of her sentence.

"Eh, I'd say you _are_ that tired. Come on, it's important to get some good rest, especially leading up to the endeavor we're going to take. I'll walk you back to your room if you'd like," Arlo offered. While he hadn't had an incredible amount of time to get to know Tatum, he already felt a strong allegiance to look out for her solely based on the fact that Kasey was her mentor, and whoever Kasey cared about, he cared about them too.

Tatum nodded as she grabbed her new stack of books to take back to her room. "Sure…that would be nice."

The duo began walking past the many rows of books to return to the library entrance, but Arlo's plan to get Tatum back to her room so she could sleep was foiled when they both saw a familiar Hunter walking toward them. It was a time like this he both loved and hated being an Exo, because his enhanced sensors instantly picked up an increase in Tatum's heartrate. He internally grinned, a new plan forming in his head.

"Kasey," Tatum started, "what are you doing here so late?"

"Well, it's a hefty story," Kasey answered, her voice a bit lower and somewhat groggy. Arlo knew the Hunter was having trouble sleeping. He was familiar with stories of these nights, and he always heard them from Holliday, about how Kasey wouldn't be able to fall asleep so she would go to the library and just read until her eyes were too heavy to do so anymore.

"I'd _love_ to hear this story," Arlo jumped in, "but I actually have to be somewhere. Important…Vault stuff…and whatnot." Damn, he was a terrible liar. "I'll see you two around though."

And with that, Arlo nearly darted away from the two young women, and he couldn't help but laugh to himself. One would have to be an idiot to not notice Tatum's infatuation with Kasey. It was just too adorable for him to not take advantage of it.

"That little shit," Tatum muttered, shaking her head but letting a huffed laugh escape her. "He said he was going to walk me back to my room."

"Ah, well, I can always do that later," Kasey said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Shouldn't you be in your hospital room?" Tatum asked. "I mean, not saying I want you to go back or anything…I like being with…in the same place as you, but-,"

Tatum was interrupted by Kasey's soft, somewhat raspy laugh. "Brian has done a bunch of healing on me. I've been a lot better, so I'm okay to move around more. I always come here when I can't seem to fall asleep too well. And check this out." Kasey paused as she lifted one side of her plain shirt up just enough to reveal the scar that Sardon's sword had left. It stretched all the way from the middle of Kasey's ribcage to just above her hip bone, and it was jagged and uneven, silently telling just how torn up Kasey's entire midsection had been.

"Pretty gnarly huh?"

Tatum blinked at that. "I'm sorry, _what_ just came out of your mouth? Are you doped up or something?" But Tatum couldn't help but giggle at the lopsided grin Kasey was giving her. This was an entirely new side to the Hunter that she had never experienced, and, drugged or not, Tatum would never let Kasey hear the end of this.

"Just the right amount of painkillers," Kasey answered. "I'm a little loopy but…don't think I'm totally out of it or anything. So how come you're here so late?" Kasey asked as she walked back to where Tatum had been in the library before, and the Warlock found herself following the Hunter as if suddenly she didn't need to sleep tonight.

"Nope…I asked you first. And, you even said you come here when you can't fall asleep, so what's bugging you?" Tatum returned as she sat next to Kasey on the two-seater couch, and she sighed in relief at the now familiar comfort of the plush cushions. After a few moments without an answer, Tatum looked over to Kasey, and she noticed the Hunter's expression had become a little solemn.

"It's kind of a funny story, I guess," Kasey started, forcing out a laugh. "Ya know, when Eris tells you that you basically have no choice but to become corrupted by the Darkness and you have to go into the depths of these Hive strongholds alone and you'll have to use the power of the Darkness to defeat them. It's…a very comforting feeling." Kasey huffed out another forced laugh, trying to distract herself yet again from how horrible she had felt about all this when Eris had left her room earlier in the evening.

Tatum, on the other hand, wasn't giving in to Kasey's feigned humor. Her hand instinctively went to Kasey's shoulder as she tried to ease the Hunter's nerves, but she could feel how tense Kasey was, and she could tell that Kasey was deeply disturbed by whatever had transpired between her and Eris.

"I told her I was ready and that I would be fine," Kasey continued, but her eyes remained forward, fixed on a point that seemed obsolete to Tatum.

"Who else knows about what Eris told you?" Tatum asked.

"As of now, just you," Kasey answered. "I can't bear to tell Amanda about this. I feel like, when I'm healed enough to be able to get back into action again, I'll just have to go and get this stuff over with. If I let myself be consumed by the Darkness then I'll have to stay out there until all of this is done. I won't-,"

"You're getting too ahead of yourself," Tatum said, stopping Kasey from her rambling. "You need to take this one step at a time, but most importantly, you need to tell Amanda. If you think you're gonna have to stay outside the City, you can't just leave her without an explanation. That would hurt her even more than if she knew everything."

Kasey shook her head instantly at Tatum's words. "No, I…I'd never want to hurt her. I'll tell her tomorrow. And, I'm sorry, for dumping all this on you when you have to be preparing for a huge mission yourself."

"Don't apologize. I appreciate it, actually. You're my friend, and I know I'm a young Guardian and I don't fully understand what all this stuff with the Darkness means, but I know it's serious. And, if it's enough to rattle you of all people, then I know it's no light matter."

Kasey nodded, and rather than responding, she leaned over Tatum and grabbed the soft pillow that was wedged between Tatum's elbow and the arm of the couch. The Hunter grimaced as she returned to her original spot on the couch, a quick, sharp pain shooting across her left ribs. But, it subsided within another moment, and Kasey shifted again, lying down on the couch with the pillow under her head and her feet across Tatum's lap.

The Warlock rolled her eyes before giving a playful glare to Kasey. "What ever happened to you walking me back to my room?"

Kasey flapped her hand in what was interpreted as a dismissive wave, and her eyes were already closed. "Was, but…too tired…painkillers make me tired," she answered, her words slightly slurred as she felt any energy she previously had drain out of her.

Oh boy, Tatum was _definitely_ never letting Kasey live this night down. But, she accepted it, and she made sure her books were stacked neatly on the table in front of her before she moved herself in front of Kasey, lying down next to her. Tatum had some second thoughts though. On one hand, she knew she probably shouldn't do this; the couch wasn't exactly meant for two people to be lying down on it, which resulted in Tatum being pretty much flush against Kasey's body. On the other hand, Tatum was extremely tired so she really didn't care about the limited space. At least, that was the excuse she had made in her head.

The Hunter didn't seem to mind though. Then again, that was probably because Kasey was already lights out from the moment her head had hit the pillow. Regardless of what Kasey had told her, Tatum knew that she had taken way too many painkillers tonight. Her heart broke for the Hunter, and she knew Kasey would just have to face the inescapable truth of what Eris had told her all over again tomorrow morning.

But those thoughts instantly vanished from Tatum's mind when she felt Kasey's arm drape over her stomach. For a moment, Tatum's breath hitched, and the warmth that spread through her entire body at the feeling of being so comfortable and safe within Kasey's arms filled Tatum with an indescribable amount of joy. A part of Tatum knew it wouldn't mean anything to Kasey in the morning. But, for the first time since she was brought to the Tower, Tatum allowed herself to fall asleep with a smile on her lips.

* * *

 **A/N: wow…been a while since I updated. Sorry! I've been insanely busy with real life stuff, but I'm glad I could get this chapter out. Also…I'm SO excited for the September expansion: Forsaken. It looks incredible and I can't wait to dig into it when it comes out.**

 **Anyways, hope you guys are still enjoying the story. Lots of action to come in the next couple chapters! I know I've been saying we're building up to the Vault of Glass for a little while now, and it will arrive in the next chapter!**

 **As always, feedback is welcome in a review/comment/message.**


	12. The Vault - Part I

**A/N: by the way, Tatum, Arlo, and the Vault of Glass team will be following the route of Normal Mode for the raid! Long chapter here…hope it keeps you busy and that you enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 12

" _Those who delve deep into the Vault of Glass have seen time itself torn asunder."_

It took Tatum several moments to become aware of her surroundings as she opened her eyes; she had been so tired the other day from reading all day about the Vex and the Vault of Glass that she almost thought she was never actually in the library let alone that she had fallen asleep in it. She also became aware of another warm body behind her, and once she remembered how last night had ended, she blushed deeply at the feeling of being so close to Kasey.

Tatum went to turn over, but the one thing she forgot was that they were on a couch, and when she realized that, it was already too late. Tatum fell off the couch and onto the ground, letting out a small yelp of surprise on her way down.

The sudden movement made Kasey crack her eyes open, and her Ghost perked up beside her head as well. Like Tatum, it took Kasey a few moments to grasp the surroundings of the library, and then she noticed the Warlock on the ground.

"You okay?" Kasey asked, her voice a bit low and still raspy from just waking up.

She offered her hand to Tatum, and the Warlock nodded and instantly accepted, but she paused when she looked up to Kasey. There was something incredibly endearing about the appearance of Kasey's tired eyes and lopsided grin, and Tatum wished she could get used to seeing that look. Of course, she couldn't deny her feelings for the Hunter at this point, but in this moment, Kasey seemed so relaxed and peaceful, and Tatum knew that wasn't a common occurrence in Kasey's life.

Kasey got up from the couch after Tatum, and she noticed Brian floating beside her, his glowing center narrowed as he kept himself turned toward her. Kasey knew what he would say to her once Tatum left them.

"I'm assuming you guys have your Fireteam ready for the Vault," Kasey said, breaking the silence as they made their way toward the library exit.

Tatum nodded and gave Kasey a soft smile for whatever reason – she knew she was smitten. "Yeah. Grayson is supposed to introduce them to us today. Hopefully they're a good fit."

"For sure. That's the most important thing. You don't want to be stuck in some terrifying place with people you hate," Kasey said back, which got a small laugh out of Tatum.

"I would imagine that wouldn't be the greatest situation," Tatum replied. "And I'm guessing you'll just be heading back to the Hunter hospital? Or…will you be trying to figure out what you're going to do about the whole…Darkness thing."

Tatum noticed Kasey instantly tense at the mention of the Darkness. It was hard for Tatum to see how much distress it caused the Hunter to so much as think about it. But, she knew there was nothing she could do to help Kasey besides being as supportive as she could.

"Both," came Kasey's answer. "What Eris told me…there's a lot of things I have to do. And unfortunately, I have to do them alone, which is the part that kind of scares me."

The pair entered the Tower lift, and Tatum was trying to think of the right thing to say to the Hunter as she entered the floor number where Arlo said he would meet her. She would admit: it was hard. She didn't really know much about the Darkness, nor did she know how dangerous it could be to Guardians should it corrupt their Light. But, just from thinking about it and from what little she had been told about the Darkness, Tatum guessed the endgame of corrupted Light wasn't good.

"But the good news is that I'm cleared to leave the hospital today," Kasey continued. "I can have Brian finish the rest of the healing that needs to be done, and I can take it easy and figure out how I want to approach all of this."

The Lift slowly came to a halt, and Tatum couldn't help a small pang of guilt at the thought of having to leave the Hunter. _I'm being too ridiculous about this_ , Tatum thought, mentally cringing at the notion that now even the smallest things evoked such emotions from her for Kasey.

Tatum gave Kasey a reassuring smile, and Kasey returned the expression. "You'll find a way to get through this. I know you will," she said softly. "I'll see you around though. I'm supposed to meet Arlo and the rest of the team soon."

Kasey nodded and waved to the Warlock. "Sure thing. Don't head off to the Vault without saying goodbye though. I'm already so nervous about you all going there."

"I'll be sure to stop by," Tatum responded, another smile coming to her face as she exited the Lift.

Kasey let out a sigh as the Lift continued upwards, eventually stopping at the main level of the Hunter Hospital. It was still baffling to Kasey to think she really ended up in here last week. Her run-in with near permanent death was still all too real in her mind. It was hard for her to escape the thoughts about what would have happened if she didn't make it back to the Tower in time – the things she would leave behind and the legacy that would have been cut short. Kasey figured those kinds of thoughts would be hard for any Guardian to face.

" _Ahem_."

Kasey glanced over at Brian, who was floating beside her right shoulder, and the Hunter knew he was glaring at her from the way the top of his mechanical body was tilted downward.

"What?" she got out.

"Are we just not going to address what happened last night between you and Tatum?"

Kasey narrowed her eyes in confusion. "What are you talking about? First Holliday tells me that Tatum likes me, and now you're thinking something significant happened between us?"

"That's because Tatum _does_ like you," Brian answered. "You are so oblivious sometimes. Really, it's remarkable how you haven't noticed this yet."

Kasey turned the corner to the hallway of the hospital her room was in, and she shook her head while laughing softly. "If I don't have interest in someone, I'm most likely not going to notice if they have interest in me. I thought I've made it clear that I only have eyes for Holliday."

"Yes, but the thing is, everything you do that you only interpret as a friendly gesture, Tatum interprets it in a much deeper way," Brian said. "All I'm saying is…cut back on the cuddling, will ya?"

"Ha," Kasey exclaimed, "Okay, I see your point. No more cuddling."

* * *

Tatum made her way down a few hallways, and she had her Ghost remind her which door belonged to Arlo's living quarters before she knocked softly on the correct one. Given that all six members of their Fireteam were meeting now, Arlo wanted to keep things as confidential as possible. Six Guardians gathering together in a public space wouldn't be the most subtle thing ever.

A few moments after Tatum knocked on the door, she was greeted by the familiar, mechanical face of her Exo friend. His blue eyes were glowing with excitement, and his mouth tilted upwards in a slight smile as he let her into his living quarters.

"Grayson and Amina are in the other room," Arlo said, motioning for Tatum to follow him. "We're just waiting on the other two that Grayson talked to."

Arlo led her to his living room, where she saw Amina and Grayson sitting across from each other on two small couches. The Hunter gave her a wave and a smile, and Grayson was beaming with happiness when he saw her enter the room.

"Tatum, heyyy!" he exclaimed, hopping off the couch for a moment. He put his arm around Tatum's shoulders as he walked with her back to the couch, and Tatum laughed softly at his always playful antics. "I can't wait for you to meet these guys. I've run some missions with them before and they're awesome."

"I'm happy we have a full team," Tatum said, sitting next to the other Warlock. "I'm not too knowledgeable about how this whole thing works. I sort of just jumped into this after Arlo mentioned it to Kasey."

"It's okay. I'm here because Arlo invited me," Amina added. "I've been around the entrance to the Vault before, but I've never ventured in before. These two have though," she finished, waving her hand back and forth between Arlo and Grayson.

Grayson nodded, a somewhat proud smile coming to his face. "Yup! The good news is that we at least know _how_ to get into the Vault. We sort of know the things that are waiting for us in there, but how the Vault works…it'll be a learning process for sure."

Their conversation was interrupted for the moment by knocking at the door, and Arlo went over to let in the other two Guardians that would be a part of their team. He opened the door to a Hunter and a characteristically bulky Titan. They looked remarkably similar – well-built, tan skin, and short brown hair, the Hunter's was more of a shaggy mess while the Titan's was neatly brushed and shaved on the sides. The only other difference that kept them from being carbon copies of each other was the Hunter's light blue eyes and the Titan's deep brown ones.

"How's it going?" the Hunter spoke up, extending his hand to Arlo in greeting. "I'm Erick, and this is Evan. We're brothers, in case you were wondering," he added, noticing the way Arlo was glancing between them quite often.

Arlo shook Erick's hand and then did the same with Evan before letting them into his living quarters. Grayson instantly jumped up when he saw his friends, his usual goofy smile lighting up his face.

"Hey guys!" he exclaimed, scooting over to make room for one of them on the couch.

"Hey everyone," Evan said, giving Tatum and Amina a small but kind smile. "Thanks for letting us in on this."

"Yeah, we've been crazy about getting into the Vault," Erick chimed in. "We've been around the entrance plenty of times, but this will be the first time going into it, and we're stoked to be able to help you out."

Arlo nodded, glancing between the two brothers again. While they didn't give off the impression that they were the sharpest tools in the shed, they were still nice guys and seemed excited that they had been chosen to accompany Arlo's group on this endeavor. And, if Grayson trusted them and thought they would be good additions to the team, then Arlo wasn't going to doubt his friend's opinion.

"Well, we're glad you're here," Arlo answered, the corners of his thin Exo mouth tilting up into a smile. "You two obviously know Grayson, but this is Tatum and Amina," he finished, motioning to the young Warlock and then the Hunter.

Evan and Erick were clearly more experienced Guardians, Tatum noticed. In fact, she had never even been to Venus yet. She was certainly strong enough to handle the enemies there, but she had become so invested with Kasey the last several weeks and recovering from her injury this past week that she just never got a chance to head out there. However, she was sure she would be able to adapt to the new landscapes and challenges in a quick manner. After all, Amina wasn't too familiar with Venus either, so Tatum knew the rest of the group would be patient with them when they got there.

"So," Evan spoke up again, "when are we going to head out? Surely we'll have to prepare a bit before we go barging into the Vex stronghold."

"Of course," Arlo said back. "Tatum and Amina have been reading extensively about the Vex and the Vault over the last couple days, so we were thinking we should be ready within the next three or four days."

The group spent some time getting to know each other even more. They all got along well, and it didn't take long before they were even cracking jokes with each other. They learned a bit about Evan and Erick's experiences beyond the City walls, and the brothers had mentioned how they had been on previous expeditions into the Hellmouth. Tatum was itching to ask them if they happened to be with Kasey during those expeditions, but she had refrained as it had been clear the two young men didn't want to go into any detail about it.

Tatum actually found it quite interesting that, even though there were millions of Guardians fighting to protect the City now, there was such a small world that existed between various groups of Guardians. And, Evan and Erick's reluctance to share anything more about their experience in the Hellmouth had mirrored Kasey's unwillingness to tell Tatum about it as well. There was a part of Tatum that was somewhat glad she wasn't hearing the horrific stories of what had happened to Guardians in the Hellmouth, but another part of her was still curious. If she knew what Kasey had gone through down there, then maybe that would help explain why the Hunter went into these random periods of being all sweet and charming with her one day and then cold and distant the next day.

But, Tatum knew that if Kasey ever wanted to share anything about that, it would have to come on her own time, and while she wanted to know in the worst way, that was something Tatum could accept.

* * *

 _*Three days later*_

The perpetual excitement Tatum was feeling about traveling to the Vault of Glass had made the last several days feel like weeks. She was also a little nervous, but that was perfectly normal for such a young Guardian who would soon be embarking on a massive endeavor.

The Warlock wanted to say goodbye to Kasey before her team left, and she had been surprised when the Hunter had told her to meet her in the Hangar today. Tatum figured Kasey would just be hanging out with Amanda, but as she scaled the steps to the shipwright's work area, she was shocked to see Kasey in her full armor.

Kasey cracked a warm smile when she saw Tatum. She was both happy and scared for the Warlock. She knew how unpredictable the Vault of Glass could be given how little Guardians knew about it, and she knew how many Guardians had been lost in there, but at the same time she was glad Tatum was challenging herself to become an even stronger Guardian so early into her new life.

"Hey," Tatum started, giving a small wave to Kasey before nodding to Amanda in greeting as well. "We're leaving early tomorrow so…figured I should say goodbye. For now, at least."

Kasey's smile didn't leave her face, but her eyes softened a bit at Tatum's words. "Yeah, I'm sure you guys will be fine. I'm glad you stopped by though."

Kasey always thought it was interesting at how few words were exchanged whenever a Guardian went off on an adventure like this. While neither party acknowledged it, there was always a grim undertone to these conversations: the implication that whoever was leaving might never come back. And, with Tatum going into the Vault, if she didn't return, Kasey wouldn't even know if she was dead or alive somewhere in the Vex's timeline. It was hard for Kasey to watch Tatum do something like this, but she knew she had to let the Warlock make her own decisions and carve her own legend into Guardian history.

"So you're all geared up," Tatum said, changing the subject, and Kasey silently thanked her for doing so. "Assuming you're heading out somewhere?"

"Yup. I'm all good to get back into fighting and exploring, so I talked to Eris again yesterday and I've decided that I am going to pursue this…journey of mine, so to speak," Kasey answered, and both Holliday and Tatum knew what she was referring to. "I'm heading out soon actually. That's why I'm here. Figured the quicker I start this, the quicker it'll end. So…I guess it is good that you stopped by now."

Tatum pressed her lips together as a somewhat sad smile came to her face. There was an unspoken truth between them right now that while Tatum might not return from the Vault, there was a very high chance that Kasey might not come back from her journey either. Tatum wished it didn't have to be this way so early between them. The Warlock disregarded her feelings for Kasey for the moment and knew that above all, Kasey had become a true friend to her. She had never thought she would be encountering some of the most dangerous places and things this quickly into her time as a Guardian. But, Tatum knew she had to face these challenges head on.

"Yeah, I guess it is," Tatum echoed, holding eye contact with Kasey for a few moments. The fear was plain to see in Kasey's deep brown eyes, but there was also determination.

A silence settled between the two, the sounds of ships taking off from the Hangar and shipwrights and Guardians bustling around them filled the gap in their conversation. But suddenly, Tatum took a step forward and put her arms around Kasey's shoulders, bringing the Hunter into a soft hug. It surprised both Guardians, but Tatum wanted to feel that closeness to Kasey like she had felt in that moment in the library several days ago. And, to Tatum's relief, she felt Kasey's arms wrap around her waist, the Hunter returning the affection.

"Just…be careful out there please," Tatum said softly as she pulled away from Kasey.

The Hunter nodded, and a soft, kind look filled her eyes now. "I'll be okay. I'll be in the Cosmodrome so…if anything unfortunate happens like the last time I was there at least I'll be a short ways back," Kasey answered, her tone lighter to try and make this whole situation less grim and depressing for the both of them.

"Okay, well…I'll see you soon then."

Tatum gave Kasey another short hug before she turned to leave, the uncertainty of whether they would both come back from their respective journeys still hanging in the air between them.

* * *

 _*Five days later*_

The trip to Venus didn't feel long to Tatum at all. She supposed it was because she had kept herself busy by continuing to read about the Vex and the Vault…and then re-reading those books and writings about them.

"We're coming up on the Waking Ruins," Arlo said over the team's communication network. "Let's be ready to go once we're on the ground."

Tatum had expected Venus to be somewhat of a barren wasteland given all the toxic fumes in the atmosphere and unpredictable temperatures, but she was surprised to see the area they landed in bursting with lush vegetation, and the Vex architecture that protruded from the ground was also covered in grass and vines.

Another prominent feature in the area was, of course, the gate to the Vault of Glass. It was immense and intimidating, and Tatum could only imagine the other world that existed beyond its entrance.

"Alright," Arlo spoke up again, "we'll have to raise the spire in order to open the gate. We need two people defending each of the sync plates – one on the left, middle, and right. Just keep the Vex off the plates and we should have that spire up in no time."

They split up into their teams, and Tatum stuck with Grayson over at the right side sync plate. Amina went with Arlo in the middle, and Erick and Evan stuck together on the left side. The moment one of them touched the plate, the characteristic teleportation blips of the Vex began to appear.

"They really don't want anyone going in there, huh?" Tatum said to Grayson as they shot down several Goblins that dropped behind them.

"Not at all. They especially hate when anyone steps on their plates. Drives 'em nuts," Grayson answered with a short laugh before pulling out his shotgun. "Praetorian behind us," he chirped.

Tatum equipped her own shotgun as well, and the two of them were able to take down the larger minotaur quickly. However, the minotaur was able to get a couple shots off from its cannon, and Tatum was staggered by how strongly the blasts hit her. Her Ghost quickly went to work on repairing her armor as one of the blasts had torn through the covering on her right shoulder.

"Yeah, those things hit hard," Grayson commented, tossing a void grenade and effectively trapping a Hobgoblin and a couple Goblins in it. "Only the strongest Vex enemies wait for us in the Vault, so don't be afraid to play it safe at times if you need to. I'd rather be shooting a group of enemies together than trying to save my own ass because I have to wait for your Ghost to revive you."

They both shared a laugh at that as they continued to fight off the Vex, including a few more Praetorian Minotaurs. However, this initial phase didn't prove to be immensely challenging for the group, and within a few more minutes, the spire in front of the Vault's gate was flashing and glowing in the air.

The ground beneath their feet began to shake as the gate began to push inward, the massive door causing the surrounding rocks to crack beneath the intense weight and pressure. Within a few more moments, the gate officially opened, the center pulling upwards and seemingly vanishing before them.

The Vault was open, and all the mysteries and wonders that hid inside were just waiting for them now. Things that they could not even comprehend, and things that could erase them from their current timeline altogether had simply lurked in the Vault for all this time. But today, they were here to put an end to those things.

The six Guardians took some time to admire the scale of the challenge that lay ahead of them, and one by one, they each took that first step.

* * *

They had wandered through the Vault for close to an hour, following the paths and hallways between the immense expanse of Vex architecture and technological blocks, until they came to several large, floating platforms that led down to a large dwelling area of sorts with a Vex conflux sitting in the back middle.

Arlo held up his hand, signaling for the group to hold on for the moment. "Don't jump down there instantly. I read about this place in Kabr's writings. It's the Templar's Well. Apparently there's some big hydra down there. Different from others though. It uses the power of its oracles to…well…that's the thing. We really don't know what its powers are. But, what we _do_ know is that Kabr created a shield weapon and left it here for future Guardians. It's the only thing powerful enough to break through the Templar's shield."

Grayson shuffled around the wide rock the team was currently on, trying his best to get a scope of the arena without actually going down yet. "So uh…where is this shield?" he asked. "Figure it would be pretty obvious to see and um…I don't see it down there."

"We have to destroy the Templar's oracles first," Arlo answered. "In Kabr's writings, he mentioned how destroying them would draw the Templar out even more…get it to move around this area, which will help us when we're narrowing down our attack on it. So, uh, as before, let's have two on the left, right, and in the middle. We'll fight through whatever the Vex throw at us, which, I'm sure, will be a lot."

The team descended into the Templar's Well, each of them softening their fall with a jump as they neared the ground. They stuck to their previous teams, which meant Tatum followed Grayson over to the right side. The pair ascended a small flight of stairs to the next platform.

It was quite possible the Templar was watching them the whole time, because the second all of them were in position, the sound of Vex teleporting in was prominent in the air. Except this time it wasn't a small army of Vex, but rather, a large, mechanical groan came from the center of the Well, and each member of the Fireteam saw what could only be the Templar appear out of thin air.

It appeared like any other Hyrda, except it was lined with a bright, blueish-white glow on each of its tiers. And, as Arlo had mentioned before, a thick, translucent shield surrounded the Templar all the way around its body.

The Templar turned to Tatum and Grayson, instantly firing an attack at them. The two Guardians jumped out of the way of its cannon blasts, and soon enough they saw red blips on their radars of incoming Vex.

"The Vex's energy is concentrated toward the conflux in the back of the Well," Otto, Tatum's Ghost, said across the team comms. "You guys will have to defend it. Who knows what will happen if enough of them reach it."

The team listened to Otto's directions as more Vex came from the crevices in the Well. The fight lasted only another minute or so before the Vex and the central conflux simply vanished. The team was caught by surprise by the suddenly eerie silence of the Well again. That was, until, Amina piped up from the center area.

"Uh…guys, I think Arlo and I are gonna need some help with this," she said, and her words were followed by the sound of a tether being launched at the bottom of the center stairs.

The rest of the team gathered around, and they saw a ton of Fanatic Vex, Hobgoblins, and Goblins pouring out of the side hallways lining the center of the Well. Thankfully, Amina's tether was able to catch a bunch of them, and Tatum powered into the Void to launch a Nova Bomb into the center as well. It instantly destroyed many of the Vex enemies there as well as any that happened to wander into its remaining vortex.

The flooding of Vex didn't last too long, and once the last of the Fanatics died out, it was Arlo's Ghost that spoke up this time.

"Detecting two confluxes this time around. One where Evan and Erick are, and another by Tatum and Grayson."

There was nothing too incredible about what the group was doing right now. The Vex they were facing were definitely more challenging, and Tatum had to learn several times that she couldn't charge guns blazing at these Vex. However, after another intermission of the entire team just killing all the Vex that came from the center of the Well and another stage this time defending the left, right, _and_ middle confluxes, the Well grew silent again, but the Templar remained in the center. It was quite unsettling to Tatum, actually. It was almost as if they were having this intense standoff with the Templar, both parties wondering what the other would do next.

"Stay at your areas," Arlo said. "I read about how the Templar uses Oracles to try and drain our Light and strength. But, if we destroy them quick enough, we will be fine, and then we can actually go at killing this thing."

And, almost as if it was on cue with what Arlo was saying, the team began hearing various ringing tones around them. Thankfully, the Oracles were extremely easy to see as they glowed a bright yellow-green color at different places around the Well. The team took a mental note of where each one popped up, especially if it was particularly close to the area they were defending.

Once the Oracles had appeared at their particular places, the Fireteam readied their weapons as red blips began showing up on their radar again. And, once the first Goblin popped into view, an Oracle appeared as well.

Tatum glanced around for a moment to make sure it wasn't near her. But, sure enough, a few seconds later, another Oracle came up in the back right corner of where she and Grayson were defending. The two Guardians quickly descended on the Oracle, and it didn't take them long to destroy it. A third ringing tone sounded, and Tatum only assumed the group wherever it was had done their job.

"Watch these snipers in the back," Grayson said, and the second Tatum turned to face him, she was struck in her right shoulder by one of the said snipers.

"Ow, fuck…thanks for pointing that out," Tatum chirped back, her tone slightly strained in initial pain but sarcastic nonetheless. While she wasn't injured severely in any way, the shot still stung like a bitch, and it was just a reinforcement of how powerful the Vex in here were.

The team killed more Vex for a small amount of time until they heard the already familiar ping of an Oracle. The three teams of two stayed on constant alert as to where the Oracles were appearing. They were efficient with destroying them though, and if someone needed to use their Super to help control the Vex while their partner went after an Oracle, they did so without hesitation.

After destroying five more Oracles, the team was met yet again with that eerie silence that enveloped the Templar's Well. And this time, the Templar disappeared, vanishing before them into whatever realm of time the Vex existed.

"Good job guys," Arlo said. "Now, let's figure out how we're gonna kill this thing."

The team gathered in the middle, and each of them saw the Aegis shield floating in the center of the Well. It was simple in its design: a typical four-pointed shield. The unique thing about it though, was how it was outlined and glowing with the white, misty matter that came from the Vex after they had been killed. It almost looked as if, when he created the Aegis, Kabr had ripped a shield right off a Hydra and encased the Aegis in it.

Arlo held out his hand, and his Ghost scanned a piece of paper to him. It was a map of the Templar's Well from one of Kabr's journals. In the top right corner of the page, Tatum saw an illustration of the Aegis circled several times with multiple exclamation points around it. There were also two points on the map circled with a double-sided arrow connecting them, and the letter 'T' was underlined in the center.

"Kabr detailed on this map where the Templar moves," Arlo spoke again, and the rest of the team gathered closer so they could all see the map. "The Aegis is the only thing strong enough to break through the Templar's shield, so we'll have to be ready to open fire on the Templar whenever the person who's breaking the shield says they're about to do it. Kabr circled these two points because apparently, whoever is carrying the Aegis can rotate between those areas and prevent the Templar from moving there, which will keep the Templar right in the middle where we're all standing now."

"Well, uh, you seem like you know the most about what to do with the shield so…maybe you should just be the one to handle that," Evan chirped with a small laugh. "The rest of us can worry about throwing everything we've got at the Templar."

Arlo glanced at each member of the team to make sure they were okay with that, and he was met with small nods from everyone.

"Okay…sounds good," he answered. "So, if I'm attempting to keep the Templar locked in the middle of this Well, then the back middle is the clearest line of sight."

The group traveled up the small level of stairs to the back of the Well, which was, as Arlo stated, directly in line with where the Templar would be.

"So we just sit back here and shoot at it?" Amina asked.

"Exactly," Arlo replied.

"I can give us a bubble back here," Evan piped up. "I don't think it'll just sit there lookin' at us, so if it does shoot at us, we'll have protection."

"It's simple enough of a fight," Arlo said. "I'll worry about my role, but you guys just stay back here. If we effectively trap the Templar in the center, you won't have to worry about any Vex coming back here. Any high damage weapons you have…snipers and rockets…those are probably the best for this. We should get one Tether on him as well."

The team looked around at one another, all giving a small nod of understanding and encouragement. They spread out around the back area of the Well, each of them having a line of sight to one of the other areas in case Arlo needed some initial help handling the Vex.

"Once I pick this up, the Templar will appear, so let's be ready to get this done quickly," Arlo said as he stood in front of the Aegis.

He took several moments to admire the craft of the shield. He was well aware of what Kabr had gone through down here to make such an object. Kabr had gone mad within the Vault, and there were still speculations about what became of him. Some even thought he was still alive, trapped within the various universes the Vex had managed to reach.

The Templar was a powerful being, no doubt, but Arlo was confident in his team. He knew they would be able to do this and hoped they could get out of the Well without much difficulty or injuries.

Once Arlo saw the rest of his team waiting in the back of the Well, he picked up the Aegis shield, slipping his arm through the two holsters on the back of it. They heard the familiar, mechanical groan of the Templar, and soon it materialized in the center of the Well, right at the point that had been circled on Kabr's map.

Arlo darted to the area to his left, using the walls and pillars as cover from the Templar's blasts. The rest of the team helped him by shooting at some of the Harpies as well as the couple oracles that appeared not long after Arlo picked up the Aegis.

"I'm going to break its shield in a few seconds," Arlo said. "Make sure you guys are ready."

The Titan smashed several more Harpies before he got in a good position where he had a clear line of sight to the Templar. He got the confirmation he needed to shoot the Templar's shield when he saw Evan's purple Ward of Dawn pop up in the back.

Arlo sent a blast from the Aegis hurtling toward the Templar, and the collision between the Aegis' attack and the Templar's shield was so intense that it even staggered the Templar for a couple moments. Luckily enough for Arlo, he was not trapped in a detention field, but he saw Tatum and Amina stuck inside one in the back.

"Just shoot the field normally," Arlo chirped as he burst jumped up to the first area the Templar was attempting to move to.

Instead of using the Aegis' shield right away to protect himself from the Templar's blasts, Arlo dropped the Aegis in order to plant a Ward of Dawn of his own on the pillar before picking it back up just seconds later. Arlo could see the rush of fire from his teammates bombarding the Templar, the Vex Hydra illuminated purple by the void energy of a Tether and Nova Bomb consuming it.

The Templar then began attempting to teleport to the other point Arlo had seen circled on Kabr's map, and it was clearly indicated by a white, glowing Vex ring around the area. Arlo waited a couple seconds to move before he abandoned his bubble and skated over to the next point, knowing he couldn't waste too much time if he wanted to keep the Templar trapped in the center of the Well.

The second he arrived at the platform diagonal from where he just was, Arlo was forced to activate the Aegis' shield as the Templar turned its attention from the rest of his teammates back to him again. The shield withstood the Templar's blasts easily, and Arlo could tell the Templar was getting significantly weaker by the second by the bits and pieces of its mechanical body that were shooting off of it every now and then.

"Keep it up!" Arlo encouraged his team as the Templar was staggered for the moment by several hard sniper shots hitting it at once. Arlo used the opportunity to hop back to the platform where he had placed his Ward of Dawn, which surprisingly was still standing.

Arlo was hit several times by blasts from several Minotaurs on the ground of the Well, one of them breaking through his armor over his right leg. He slid into the bubble just as another barrage of Minotaur and Templar blasts hurled at him, and his Ghost instantly began working on repairing his leg armor.

Suddenly, a huge explosion came from the center of the Well, and Arlo looked up to see the Templar staggering and collapsing to the ground, pieces of it shooting outwards all around it, even taking out some of the Minotaurs and Goblins surrounding it. In the silence that followed, Arlo felt relief. The Minotaur blasts that had hit his leg were worse than he thought. Not only did they break through his armor, but they tore through a part of his actual leg. While he wasn't necessarily susceptible to pain as an Exo, the injury made it so he couldn't even walk on the leg, and one area of the metal was singed around the edges, small shards of metal sticking out in multiple directions.

"Good job guys," Arlo said, hiding his discomfort for the moment as he sat down on the rock pillar with his legs extended, allowing his Ghost to get better angles at repairing the injury.

Soon enough the rest of the team was around him, all of them giving each other high fives and excited shouts of encouragement. It was an intense moment for them, but they fit well together as a team, and they had managed to defeat the Templar without any issues.

"How you holding up?" Amina asked, taking a seat next to Arlo.

"I'll be just fine in a little bit. Simon had gotten used to fixing me up by now, so it won't be too long before we can continue through," Arlo answered. The Titan was right, as not even a minute had passed before his Ghost had the piece of his leg repaired and back to normal; he could fix Arlo's armor on the fly.

Once his leg was patched up, Arlo stood and gave a nod to each of his teammates. "Alright," he started, "let's get back to it. That went really smooth. We're going to be going through a lot of tight tunnels…and we'll have to make it through an area that has Gorgons. They look like Harpies, but they're a lot stronger. When we get to their dwelling, we can talk about how we're going to make it through."

The team began to make their way out of the Templar's Well through another circular door that had opened up once the Templar went down. It was almost as if the Vault was inviting them in further, baiting them into venturing to whatever their fate might be.

Arlo had his Ghost scan another one of Kabr's maps into his hand. This time, it was one of the Gorgon's Labyrinth. It amazed Arlo how much Kabr was able to document about the Vault. Even though he had continuously lost his mind in here, he still found it in him to record the things he saw and experienced knowing it would be of unprecedented value to Guardians in the future. To Arlo, it was an honor to have this knowledge at his disposal.

The team continued through the inner workings of the Vault, following the long hallways, steep drops, and pathways until they came up on a ledge that overlooked a giant, cave-like dwelling that could only be the Gorgon's Labyrinth. And, directly in front of them, was a huge and daunting drop down. It was easily over five-hundred feet down, and each team member looked at one another, knowing that once they dropped down, there was no coming back unless they accomplished their ultimate goal.

"You guys ready for this?" Arlo asked. "It's a lot to demand from you. There's no shame in wanting to revisit this later on."

At that notion, Tatum felt a hand on her shoulder, and she smiled beneath her helmet when she saw Grayson standing next to her. The older Warlock gave her a small pat on the shoulder followed by an encouraging nod. It was nice for Tatum to know he had her back. There had been an instant click between them, and they had formed a nice little partnership through that first experience in the Templar's Well. It was a bit strange to Tatum how quickly they had gravitated to each other during this. It was a bit different from the way she had been attracted to Kasey though. With Grayson, she felt a familiarity with him, and it was comforting to her.

"I'm good," Tatum said, fighting back the nerves threatening to make their way into her tone.

It had to be normal for her to be feeling this way. After all, she was a young Guardian, and no one was asking her to do something like this so early. But, she had willingly come along, as she knew that sooner or later she was going to have to face the deadliest threats that waited in the universe for them, and she would rather it be sooner.

"I'm ready to go," Grayson said shortly after her. "If there's a giant threat to humanity and our universe down there then I want to get rid of it before it can even decide what it wants to do next."

Evan and Erick nodded in agreement, and soon they all turned to face the steep drop in front of them. It was daunting and it was scary, but, one by one, they took the plunge, their fate waiting for them in the darkness below.

* * *

 **A/N: phew…glad I managed to get this chapter done before college really picks up soon! I hit a bit of a writer's block a few weeks ago, but I'm back in the swing of this and I can't wait to wrap up the second half of VoG with our friends Arlo, Tatum, and the rest of the team :D**

 **The reason I'm splitting it into two parts is because I didn't want one insanely huge chapter…that would have felt like a drag for you guys. So, next chapter we'll wrap up the VoG adventure and then get back into Kasey's storyline as well.**

 **As always, leave feedback in a review/message.**

 **Also…FORSAKEN IS HERE WOOOO!**


End file.
